The Nagpur bench of the Mumbai high court has directed city civic authorities to prevent the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh from holding its shakha (daily gathering) at Lendhra Park, a public garden, in upmarket Ramdaspeth locality of the city.

A division bench comprising Justice J N Patel and Justice Bhushan Gavai passed the order on Monday while hearing a public interest litigation filed by Vijay Talewar, a social activist.

The petitioner had sought a ban on holding any programmes, socio-cultural or otherwise, at Lendhra Park on the grounds that various organisations, including RSS were using the garden, without paying any rent to the Nagpur Municipal Corporation.

The petition said some socio-cultural organisations have monopolised the use of the park for various religious programmes.