The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee's human rights wing has approached the Madras High Court after police denied permission for a mini-marathon celebrating K. Kamaraj's 124th birth anniversary, alleging political discrimination.

  • TNCC human rights wing seeks court intervention for a 2.5 km mini-marathon in Chennai.
  • Police denied permission claiming political parties cannot host such events, only NGOs.
  • Petitioners allege discrimination, citing similar events hosted by the ruling DMK.

The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) human rights wing has officially approached the Madras High Court, seeking a judicial directive to compel the police to grant permission for a planned mini-marathon. The event is intended to commemorate the 124th birth anniversary of the legendary former Chief Minister and Congress stalwart, K. Kamaraj.

The proposed event is a 2.5 km run scheduled to take place between Injambakkam and the Akkarai junction on the East Coast Road (ECR) in Chennai. According to the affidavit filed by S. Selvakumar, the South Chennai East district president, the marathon is designed to start and end at the World Peace Temple in Injambakkam, incorporating a U-turn at the Akkarai junction to minimize traffic disruption.

Read Also:Taylor Sheridan Appears On‑Screen in ‘Lioness’ Season 3 Premiere

The petition highlights that high-profile figures, including TNCC president Manickam Tagore, several Congress ministers, and various Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), have already committed to participating. The organizers emphasized that the event would be conducted with strict discipline between 5:30 am and 8:30 am, ensuring that the general public and vehicular traffic on the busy ECR are not inconvenienced.

Why This Matters

BozokMedia analysis shows that this legal battle transcends a simple permit request; it highlights the friction between political entities and state law enforcement. The core of the dispute lies in the 'NGO-only' rule cited by the police. The TNCC argues that if political parties are barred from such events, then the annual Kalaignar Memorial Marathon organized by the ruling DMK should also be prohibited. This brings the issue of 'selective enforcement' of laws into the judicial spotlight.

The denial of permission based on the organizational status of the applicant, while allowing similar events for ruling party affiliates, raises significant questions about the neutrality of administrative permissions in a democratic setup.

Justice V. Lakshminarayanan, presiding over the matter, has directed the government counsel to obtain specific instructions and provide a response by September 3. The court is now tasked with determining whether the police's refusal constitutes an arbitrary exercise of power or a legitimate security concern.

Did You Know?: K. Kamaraj is widely revered as the 'Kingmaker' of Indian politics and is credited with revolutionizing the mid-day meal scheme in Tamil Nadu schools.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Why did the police deny permission for the marathon?
The police claimed that permission for such events can only be granted to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and not to political parties.

Q2: What is the basis of the TNCC's claim of discrimination?
The TNCC pointed out that the ruling DMK party organizes the Kalaignar Memorial Marathon every year without similar restrictions.