Bhim Army denied permission for protest at RSS’ doorstep

Nagpur: The Bhim Army has been refused permission to hold a karyakarta melava (workers’ meet) at Reshimbagh Ground, adjoining the RSS’ Dr Hedgewar Smruti Mandir, on February 22. The Reshimbagh Ground has been the traditional site for RSS functions, including the annual Vijaya Dashami event, held to mark the organization’s foundation day.
The Vijaya Dashami meet is addressed by RSS Sarsanghchalak (chief) each year. The ground belongs to Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT), and programmes can be held after securing the civic body’s approval and getting a police clearance. The Bhim Army’s application has been turned down by the police on the grounds that holding the event at Reshimbagh Ground can lead to a law and order situation.
The Bhim Army meet was supposed to be addressed by its chief Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan, who has been on the forefront in the anti-CAA-NRC movement, and was also barred from entering New Delhi.
The Bhim Army had secured approval from NIT, which was subject to police clearance, which was denied eventually. The programme has been organized in association with an outfit ‘We the citizens of India’, that had organized a series of anti-CAA-NRC agitations at Samvidhan Chowk in the city.
The RSS has been directly targeted during anti-CAA-NRC protests in the city, branding it as a fascist and pro-upper caste organization.
Bhim Army now plans to continue with its plans to hold the function at Reshimbagh, and court arrests after that, said its district chief Praful Shende, who had moved the application
Salman Ahmed of ‘We the people’ said the organization also plans to move court against denial of permission. Over 10,000 persons are estimated to turn up for the event, he said.
Shende, district chief of Bhim Army, said the ground was chosen because even the outfits’s office comes under the same area. “If we are not allowed to hold a function there, the police should also issue a list of organizations that should be barred from Reshimbagh,” he said.
Shende said, “The programme will be basically a membership drive. Pamphlets will be issued urging people to join Bhim Army and there will also be a mention about the organization’s stance on CAA and NRC. It also depends on what the speakers choose to talk about during the event,” he said.
Apart from Ravan, his lawyer Mohammed Pracha will also be one of the speakers, said Shinde.
An official at Kotwali police station, where the application for permission was put up, said the permission was denied because the Reshimbagh Grounds cannot be allotted for purposes like holding protests.