The Tamil Nadu government has modified its stance in the Supreme Court regarding the route marches planned by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in the state, citing the panic caused due to certain fake videos of attacks on Hindi-speaking migrant workers in the state.

It said that there must be a rethink on the matter given the changed situation.

The Bench asked Advocate Mukul Rohatgi who was appearing for the state as to how is the matter of fake videos of attacks on migrants relevant to the case. It also mentioned that the matter seems to have been settled by now.

In the previous hearing on 3 March, the state government had said that while it was not possible to grant permission to the RSS to conduct route marches everywhere in the state due to threats from organisations like the Popular Front of India (PFI), it would come up with a workable solution.

The matter reached the Supreme Court because the Tamil Nadu government had appealed against the order of the Division Bench of the Madras High Court, which had asked the state to allow the route marches.

The Division Bench had said that conducting peaceful public processions is a part of the ‘freedom of speech.’

Earlier, a single-judge bench of the High Court had ordered the RSS to conduct the march in a closed compound like a stadium.

While the present hearing was being conducted in an appeal against the order of the Division Bench, Rohatgi informed the Court that the state had filed a fresh special leave petition against the order of the single-judge bench of the High Court.

The advocate appearing for the RSS said that it was not fair to the Court to file a fresh petition when the state had earlier said that it would come up with a workable solution.

The matter has been posted for further hearing on 27 March.

Also Read: 'Not Asking For Total Ban On RSS Route Marches In The State' Says Tamil Nadu Government In Supreme Court