Kalaburagi: Authorities deny permission for RSS march in Chittapur
Kalaburagi (PTI): Authorities in Chittapur, the home constituency of Minister Priyank Kharge, have denied permission for the RSS route march on Sunday, citing the possibility of disruption of peace and law and order.
Chittapur Town Municipal Council on Saturday had removed cut-outs and banners installed by the RSS on the main road amid police security, stating that they were installed before giving permission for the route march.
"To prevent disruption of peace and law and order in Chittapur and to avoid any untoward incidents, permission for the RSS route march scheduled for 19-10-2025 is hereby denied, and the request application is rejected," the Chittapur tahsildar has said in his order dated October 18.
The state government too on Saturday issued an order making "prior permission" mandatory for any private organisation, association or a group of persons to use government property or premises.
The order is based on a Cabinet decision on Thursday, prompted by Panchayat Raj and IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge's letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah seeking a ban on RSS' activities in public places.
An application was submitted seeking permission for a route march and Vijayadashami programme to be held at Chittapur town in Kalaburagi district at 3 PM on October 19 by the RSS, on the occasion of the organisation's centenary and as part of the Vijayadashami festival celebration.
Stating that a letter had been sent from his office to the Police Sub-Inspector, Chittapur Police Station, to submit a report in this regard, the tahsildar said, the Bhim Army organisation has also informed, through a letter, that they too will conduct a route march on the same route on October 19.
Further, the police station's intelligence officer was deputed to collect information regarding these processions, and a report was submitted stating that on October 16, RSS worker Danesh Naron had allegedly abused and issued life threats to the local MLA and District In-charge Minister, Priyank Kharge, and a case has been registered in Bengaluru's Sadashivanagar Police Station in this regard, he said, adding that in protest against this incident, demonstrations have been held across Karnataka, including in Chittapur.
Further noting that the Bhim Army State Youth Wing, Kalaburagi, has submitted a letter stating that since the RSS is intentionally conducting a route march in Chittapur on October 19 against the minister's statement, the tahsildar said that, "they, along with members of the Indian Dalit Panthers organisation have also sought permission to conduct a march along the same route. The Bhim Army has already held a press conference announcing their intention to hold the procession, and the Indian Dalit Panthers (Regd.) have also made a written request for the same."
If the RSS, Bhim Army and Indian Dalit Panthers conduct processions in Chittapur town along the same route, there is a high possibility of clashes between the groups, which could disturb public peace and law and order. This assessment has been confirmed based on information collected from the public and police informants, he said.
"Therefore, since simultaneous processions by the RSS, Bhim Army, and Indian Dalit Panthers on October 19 in Chittapur may lead to disturbances and adversely affect law and order, it is deemed inappropriate to grant permission for the same as per the report submitted by police in Chittapur," the tahsildar has said in his order.
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PM Modi arrives in Netherlands on second leg of his five-nation tour
Amsterdam (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the Netherlands on Friday on the second leg of his five-nation tour, during which he will hold talks with his Dutch counterpart Rob Jetten to further deepen bilateral cooperation in areas such as trade, technology, defence and renewable energy.
The prime minister arrived in the Netherlands after a brief stopover of around two-and-a-half hours in the UAE, where he held talks with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi.
Modi's visit to the European nation from May 15 to 17 is his second trip to the country after his 2017 visit and comes at what officials described as an "important juncture" in India-Netherlands ties.
During the visit, Prime Minister Modi will hold bilateral talks with PM Jetten and will also meet King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima.
Modi is also expected to address the Indian community and interact with leading Dutch business leaders during the visit.
MEA officials said the visit carries a “rich and substantive agenda” and is expected to consolidate the strategic dimensions of the partnership that have emerged through sustained engagement between the two countries.
India and the Netherlands have significantly expanded cooperation in recent years beyond traditional sectors such as trade, investment and the priority areas of water, agriculture and health.
The partnership has grown in strategic sectors, including technology, innovation, defence, security, semiconductors, renewable energy, education and the maritime domain, the MEA said.
The Netherlands is one of India’s largest trade destinations in Europe, with bilateral trade valued at USD 27.8 billion in 2024-25. It is also India’s fourth-largest investor, with cumulative foreign direct investment amounting to USD 55.6 billion, officials said.
People-to-people ties remain a key pillar of the bilateral relationship. The Netherlands is home to more than 90,000 non-resident Indians and persons of Indian origin, besides over 200,000 members of the Suriname-Hindustani community. Around 3,500 Indian students are currently enrolled in Dutch universities.
Officials noted that Modi's visit to the Netherlands and three other European nations -- Sweden, Norway, and Italy -- comes against the backdrop of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement finalised earlier this year and the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement signed in 2025.
