Madras HC says no to protests on Marina Beach

CHENNAI: The 2017 pro-jallikattu protest on Marina Beach here would be last of its kind as the Madras high court on Monday said a strict no to any kind of protests on the beach.
Allowing an appeal moved by the Tamil Nadu government, a division bench of Justice K K Sasidharan and R Subramanian set aside the order passed by a single judge directing the Chennai police to grant permission to farmer leader P Ayyakannu to sit on a fast for a day on Marina Beach demanding constitution of the Cauvery Management Board.
The division bench, which had earlier temporarily stayed the order of the single judge, has now passed the final order setting aside the order.
On April 28, the single judge granted permission to hold the protest despite strong objection from the state. “Had the then British government banned Marina Beach from being used for any public meeting, Marina would not have witnessed the presence of Mahatma Gandhi and Tilakar on its sands for the noble cause of freedom," the judge said justifying his order.
However, the state immediately moved an appeal and got it stayed temporarily on the same day.
Now setting aside the order, the bench noted that public order was equally important than permitting protests on Marina when police had already earmarked designated places for such protests.