Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Friday said that Amulya Leona, arrested for allegedly raising pro-Pakistan slogans at an anti-CAA rally in Bengaluru, should not be given bail as “she had contacts with Naxals”.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Yediyurappa said the girl’s father has also denied protection for her. “It’s proved now that she had contacts with Naxals. Proper punishment should be given,” he added.
However, the girl’s father, Oswald Naronha, has denied the charge and called for an inquiry into it.
19-year-old Amulya was arrested and charged with sedition after she raised ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans at a rally in Bengaluru against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) on Thursday. The young woman has been sent to 14-day judicial custody.
In a video that has gone viral, the girl is seen asking the gathered protesters to shout with her “Pakistan Zindabad” after the organisers of the event under the banner of “Save Constitution” called her to address the crowd soon after AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi came on the stage.
Owaisi and two other men were seen immediately stopping her from chanting the slogan. They also try to take the microphone away from her.
Meanwhile, Owaisi, President of the All-India Majilis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and its 4-time Lok Sabha member from the Hyderabad constituency, has condemned the activist for taking the liberty to shout pro-Pakistan slogan and told the organisers to stop her from speaking. He has distanced himself and his party from the incident. He said he and his party were against such slogans as they stand for India and are proud of being Indians.
“Kya bol rahein hain aap (What are you saying)?” the AIMIM chief was heard telling Amulya as she tried to speak. “The difference between Hindustan Zindabad and Pakistan Zindabad is..,” she is heard saying in the video but lots of men cut her off midway.
“When Owaisi and others tried to stop Amulya from shouting the pro-Pakistan slogan, she started chanting ‘Hindustan zindabad’. Our personnel who were at the rally for providing security took her off the dais to control the situation even as she insisted on speaking,” news agency IANS quoted a police official as saying.
A suo moto case has been registered against her under sections 124A (sedition), 153A&B (promoting enmity between different groups) and imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration),
Speaking on the incident, Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai has claimed that Amulya comes from a place where Naxals have been very active for a long time.
“She has shared a lot of posts on Facebook,” he said adding that an investigation will be initiated into all angles involved.
Meanwhile, Bengaluru Commissioner of Police Bhaskar Rao told ANI on Friday that the police was looking into the role of the organisers of the event as well and added that any “role of honourable MP (Asaduddin Owaisi) does not figure anywhere as he was also an invitee”.
The Hindu-Muslim-Sikh-Issai Federation organised the anti-CAA, anti-NRC (National Register of Citizens) and anti-NPR (National Population Register) rally at Freedom Park in Bengaluru.
In the wake of the incident, Amulya’s residence was vandalised by miscreants late Thursday night. Police have initiated an investigation into the same.
Meanwhile, JD(S) corporator Imran Pasha claimed the girl was planted by some rival group to disrupt the event. According to him, the woman was not in the list of speakers and demanded that the police investigate the matter seriously.
Amidst all the drama, another woman was taken into custody by the police on Thursday for holding a banner reading “Dalit Mukti, Kashmir Mukti & Muslim Mukti”.
According to the police commissioner, the woman was seen sitting among the activists of the Hindu Jagaran Vedike’s, who were protesting against the incident involving Amulya.