Multiple public interest litigation petitions have been filed in the Madras High Court against the Vel Yatra proposed to be undertaken by the State unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from Friday.
A couple of those PIL petitions have been listed for admission before the first Division Bench of Chief Justice Amreshwar Pratap Sahi and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy on Thursday.
One of the petitioners, P. Senthil Kumar of Villivakkam here, feared that the month-long Yatra from Tiruttani to Tiruchendur might increase the spread of COVID-19 besides creating law and order problems.
Pointing out that a recent remark made by Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader Thol. Thirumavalavan against Manu Smriti had caused violent clashes between his party cadre and those belonging to BJP, the litigant apprehended similar recurrence during the Yatra too.
He sought a direction to the Home Secretary and Director General of Police to consider a representation made by him in this regard on October 31 and prevent the BJP office bearers from going ahead with their plan to take out the Yatra.
