CHENNAI: The Porur police on Thursday arrested 44 RSS volunteers for conducting a shakha at the Iyyapanthangal Government Higher Secondary School, as part of its centenary celebrations, allegedly without prior nod. They were booked for trespass and unlawful assembly. All 44 were later released on station bail.

According to police, the volunteers had gathered at the school to hoist a flag and perform yoga. Acting on a complaint from the school principal, the police registered a case against organisers R Rajasekar, AN Dakshinamurthy and others under section 189 (unlawful assembly) and section 329 (criminal trespass on government property) under the BNS. They were taken to a private marriage hall for inquiry before being let off on bail. The arrests, however, drew sharp criticism from the BJP.

BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran said, “Is there no place in the Dravidian model government for peaceful rallies on grounds where the public has gathered for years without hindrance? Why is the government swift to crack down on the RSS, but slow to curb crimes and catch criminals?”

Former Telangana Governor and senior BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan termed the arrests “undemocratic”, accusing the DMK government of ignoring anti-social activities while curbing “national, cultural, spiritual and patriotic programmes”.

Former state president K Annamalai alleged that the police action was in “contempt” of an earlier Madras High Court directive that, he claimed, had held that permission for RSS rallies should not be arbitrarily denied.