Pak zindabad slogan: Amulya Leona remanded in 14-day custody after sedition charges
Student activist Amulya Leona, who was booked under sedition for chanting "Pakistan Zindabad" during a rally in Bengaluru, has been remanded in 14-day judicial custody. Leona, a student of a south Bengaluru college, had chanted the slogan as part of her address during a protest rally against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).
Amulya, in her address, appeared to be explaining to the audience the difference between chanting "Pakistan Zindabad and Hindustan zindabad". The organisers of the event under the banner of "Save Constitution" had invited her to address the gathering.
AIMIM chief Owaisi, who was present on the stage, rushed to snatch the microphone from her and was joined by others who tried to stop her. Later, the police stepped in and removed her from the stage.
Owaisi who later addressed the rally distanced his party from the remarks. "My dear friends and elders, we have no connection with the words uttered here. We have no connection with this — neither me nor my party have any connection to this. As long as we are alive we will shout the slogan of Bharat Zindabad. We have no connection with Pakistan and will never have."
JD(S) corporator Imran Pasha claimed Amulya was planted by some rival group to disrupt the event. The woman, he said, was not in the list of speakers and demanded that the police investigate the matter seriously, news agency PTI reported.
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On its official Twitter handle, the state BJP unit said: "Anti-CAA activist Amulya Leona shouts Pakistan Zindabad in the presence of AIMIM Chief at Bengaluru. Truth is that protests against CAA are a joint venture between Pakistan & Anti-National Forces led by @INCIndia. Those who support Pakistan should go there forever."
The state Congress unit, too, condemned the incident on social media and called for legal action. Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said Amulya needs to be "taught a lesson." "The act of supporting Pakistan through slogans shall be condemned. Police have to conduct investigation & teach Amulya a lesson," he wrote on Twitter.
Terming it as an "unforgiveable mistake", Leona's father called for action against her in accordance with law. The Chief Minister said that her father had sought punishment for her and said, she should not get bail adding, that he will not seek protection for her, PTI reported.
"It is an unforgivable mistake, she has caused pain to Indians. I'm deeply disturbed…action should be taken against her in accordance with law, she is around 19, we will have to find out why she said it and who is behind it," he was quoted as saying by PTI.
"She is a bright girl…I have tried to tell her not to involve herself in such activities after I got to know she was involving in anti-CAA, anti-NRC protests and complete her education first," he said expressing apprehensions over possible health issues of his daughter.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa Thursday alleged that the woman charged with sedition for raising pro-Pakistan slogans during a rally in Bengaluru has had links with Naxals in the past.
"Importantly, the organisations that are behind people like Amulya and nurturing them, if we don't take action against such organisations, such things won't end. Prima facie it is clear that there is a conspiracy going on to disturb law and order with such incidents," Yediyurappa was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
"If organisations that are behind her are inquired into, things will come out. It is clear that she had links with Naxals in the past. In this backdrop, she should be punished and the action should be taken against organisations that are behind her," he said.
(Inputs and image from theindianexpress.com)
