Madras HC dismisses plea to stage demonstrations against Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan

The Madras High Court Friday December 14, dismissed a petition by Hindu Makkal Katchi seeking a direction to police to allow black flag demonstrations against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan during his visit to the city on Sunday, December 16.

Kerala Chief Minister P Vijayan is scheduled to participate in a function to unveil the statue of late DMK Chief M Karunanidhi at the party headquarters, in which UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi is also expected to participate.

When the petition by Arjun Sampath, leader of Hindu Makkal Katchi, a fringe outfit, came up to Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana, the government counsel submitted that the demonstration is against the Supreme Court order which allowed women of all age groups to enter the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala and would create law and order problems.

Hence, permission for the demonstration was rejected by the city police commissioner, the counsel said.

An application was filed before the commissioner by the HMK seeking permission to show black flags to Vijayan at the airport and Anna Arivalayam, the DMK headquarters here to protest the Kerala government's decision to implement the top court's verdict on the Sabarimala issue.

The HMK approached the court after Sampath's application to stage black flag protests against the Kerala chief minister was rejected by the police commissioner.

The judge dismissed the petition after recording the submission made by the government counsel that the proposed protest is against the apex court order and would create law and order problems