TN police says no to PM Modi’s rally, HC allows hours later

Hours after the police denied permission, the Madras High Court on Friday allowed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s four-kilometer roadshow in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, scheduled for March 18, albeit with certain conditions.
A bench of Justice N Anand Venkatesh issued the directive to the Assistant Commissioner of Police, R S Puram Range, based on a petition filed by J Ramesh Kumar, BJP District President of Coimbatore.

The police permission denied permission citing security issues and disturbance of normal public life. Hours later, the BJP filed a plea in the Madras High Court (MHC) and at 6 pm.
In his petition, Ramesh Kumar stated that he had applied for permission with the police on March 14 to conduct a roadshow spanning four kilometers via Mettupalayam Road in Coimbatore. The purpose was to enable people to meet the Prime Minister.

The roadshow aimed to sensitise the people of Coimbatore about various welfare schemes launched by the PM and encourage them to avail themselves through Direct Benefit Transfer without any interference from touts. Additionally, it aimed to promote the habit of rejecting drugs, considering recent incidents of hazardous drug trafficking in Tamil Nadu.
He mentioned that his application was rejected citing reasons such as the maintenance of law and order, peace, and potential disturbance to public tranquility in Coimbatore if the roadshow were to take place. Security threats were also cited.

Ramesh Kumar argued that the order was arbitrary and contrary to the fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 19 of the Constitution of India. He asserted that the reasons provided for refusal were unreasonable. Despite his willingness to comply with any conditions imposed, the police overlooked this and refused permission, seemingly for political reasons.
A 3.5 km long BJP roadshow was planned in Coimbatore on March 18 and reportedly at least 5,000 police personnel would be required for deployment for the roadshow along the route.

On March 18, the BJP roadshow in Coimbatore would start from Eru Company between Kavundampalayam and Saibaba Kovil on the Mettupalayam Road and will end at DB Road Junction at RS Puram. The DB Road Junction is where Hindu political parties pay homage each year to the victims of the 1998 serial bomb blast. Modi is to address the public at the end of the roadshow.

PM Modi and the BJP have been vigorously campaigning in Tamil Nadu ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. On Wednesday, TN BJP state president K Annamalai confidently stated that the saffron party would cross 25 per cent vote share this time around. The PM was last in Tamil Nadu on Friday to address a public rally at Kanyakumari.
Coimbatore has been key for the BJP as it has a large number of supporters in this city. Numerous factors make Coimbatore a viable BJP bastion of sorts – around 80 per cent of the people living in the city are reportedly Hindus and it is a Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) hub. Many senior BJP leaders have come and campaigned in Coimbatore even during the previous elections.

In 2021, BJP’s Vanathi Srinivasan was elected as MLA from Coimbatore south after she beat Makkal Needhi Maiam founder-president Kamal Haasan in a tight race. Interestingly, in 2016 Vanathi Srinivasan finished third in the poll race but it’s evident that the saffron party has been growing stronger in the city.