No to Popular Front's Freedom Parade; Police escort for RSS' weapon wielding Parade in Kerala

Kozhikkode: Protest mounts against Kerala police decision to allow RSS to have weapon wielding parades in various parts of Kerala on Independence Day, while all programmes including Freedom Parade by Popular Front were banned.

It was in seven districts RSS volunteers in their Khaki shorts and white shirts marched through streets with police protection. In the parade held at Aluva in Ernakulam district RSS men were seen carrying swords apart from lathis used at other places.

Popular Front's Freedom Parade which was being held at every Independence Day since 2004 in various cities and towns of Kerala was banned at the pretext that such parade by an individual organisation in special uniforms would create problems in the society. Here question arises then why was RSS given permission to hold such parades on the same day. RSS held parades in various towns in disrticts of Pathanamthitta, Kollam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Palakkad, Kozhikkode and Wynadu with police protection.

In some places volunteers took up arms like swords and police accompanied them at ease. In some places RSS men carries national flags with them when at some other places they avoided it.

Though Popular Front had sought advance permission from police they were denied it. But RSS could hold parades even without prior permission, which showed clear discrimination from the part of authorities towards minority communities.

Source:popularfrontindia.org