The High Court of Madras put the Govt. of Tamil Nadu in a rather embarrassing position yesterday when it posed a question to it to state the reason for discouraging protesters from congregating at the Marina Beach in Chennai to protest.  “In your opinion, which is more important: Marina Beach or (getting) Cauvery water?” the Court asked the Govt. counsel to clarify.

The Court’s above-said observations came while taking up a petition filed by Ayyakkannu, President of ‘South Indian River-Linking Association’ wherein he had sought the Court’s permission to sit in a relay protest at the Marina for a continuous spell of 90 days.  Justice Raja, who took up Ayyakkannu’s petition, posed a barrage of questions to the State.

“When was the last time a protest was allowed to be held at the Marina Beach?  Why should the Govt. oppose permission to protest at the Marina?” the Court had earlier posed such questions to the State.  When the case came up for hearing yesterday, Tamil Nadu’s counsel Arvind Pandey told the Court that the last time a permission was formally granted was for the 2013 ‘Jallikkattu’ protest.

“No protest after that at the Marina had the approval/permission of the local authorities.  As far as Chennai concerned, protests could be allowed to be held only at a few places and Marina can’t be one of them,” the counsel told the Court.  Justice Raja then wondered what was important for the Govt.: (getting) Cauvery water or the Marina Beach.

“You are unable to control congregation of people in huge numbers during Vaikunda Ekadasi and for Christmas, Ramzan or New Year celebrations; would you impose a blanket ban on congregation of people on such occasions on the Marina and at other places?” Justice Raja wondered before adding that the Govt. didn’t have the right to suppress a protest but should only be ‘regulating’ the mode of protest.