Two Karnataka BJP workers arrested for raising pro-Pakistan slogan in 2022
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Amid ongoing row in connection with raising Pakistan Zindabad slogan during the recent Rajya Sabha election in the Karnataka Assembly, the Karnataka police have arrested two BJP workers for pro-Pakistan slogans during a protest staged in November 2022.
The arrests come following a complaint filed by advocate Kannambadi Kumar, who based his accusation on a viral video circulating on social media.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Ravi, a resident of Dhanayakapura, and Shivakumar Aradhya from Mandya. The police action, occurring one and a half years after the incident, has raised suspicions of political vendetta, especially in light of a previous pro-Pakistan slogan controversy involving three Congress workers.
Reacting to the arrests, Karnataka's Home Minister, Dr. G. Parameshwara, pointed out that the incident took place during the BJP government's rule, indicating that the arrests were made under the current administration.
According to a police officer, the video evidence allegedly shows Ravi uttering "Pakistan Zindabad" during a BJP protest in December 2022, despite another individual attempting to close his mouth.
The president of the BJP's Mandya district unit, Indresh N S, denounced the arrests, labelling them as a clear case of political vendetta. He argued that Ravi, being a farmer who only speaks Kannada, got confused while raising slogans and inadvertently uttered pro-Pakistan phrases.
Indresh N S further emphasized that the BJP was protesting against Pakistan at the time, questioning the motive behind Ravi's alleged actions.
In a parallel development, three Congress workers who were arrested for allegedly raising pro-Pakistan slogans in the Vidhana Soudha on February 27, were produced before a court on Tuesday and subsequently sent to judicial custody. The arrested individuals include Iltaz from Delhi, Mohammad Nashipudi from Byadgi town in Haveri district, and Munnawar from RT Nagar in Bengaluru.
As both BJP and Congress members continue to trade accusations, the legal proceedings and public discourse surrounding these incidents are expected to intensify in the coming days.