- What happens to those accused of raising '#PakistanZindabad' slogans in Madhya Pradesh ?
A thread; 3 case studies -
Attacked, Arrested For ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ Slogans That They Never Raised
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Case - I
July 23, 22 :
Hafiz Samiuallah Khan (35), newly elected councillor of ward 12 of Shajapur city was arrested under section 153-B & 188 IPC.
It happened after VHP held a protest on alleging Pro-Pakistan slogan raised in Khan's victory rally carried out on July 17.
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3-day later, Collector invoked NSA against him.
It was allegedly done to stop him from taking oath (of councillor) which is mandatory to take within 6-month.
Sensational headlines branding him as a terrorist, hateful Tweets of R/W & journalists put the city on edge.
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A month later, a Home Dept revoked an NSA order granting Samiullah an immediate release.
The NSA Advisory Board pulled up Shajapur police for “exhibiting lack of maturity & insensitivity in handling the case."
"Aap Log ek bekasur ko jail me..." the Court lambasted Police.
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Subsequently, he got bail from the Indore High court. He walked free on Sept 16.
"Hafiz Sb Zindabaad was morphed as Pakistan Zindabad," he said.
"I was framed over a morphed, branded terrorist, my family suffered. The reason is only one...," he lamented.
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Case - 2
Aug 19, 2021: Infamous Ujjain Sedition case.
Taking cognizance of viral video clips of less than 15 sec, Ujjain Police arrested 16 youths invoking "sedition & NSA" charges against six.
Police claimed that pro-Pakistan slogans were raised in a Muharram gathering.
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The video was tweeted by journalists and right-wing Twitter handles demanding “stern action”.
As the video created a digital uproar, CM Shivraj Chauhan claimed such "Talibani" mentality can't be tolerated.
altnews.in/ujjain-videos-…
Ten months later, the Ujjain session Court dismissed the sedition charges.
"The court of ASJ Santosh Shukla pointed out 'Pakistan Zindabad' is neither an anti-national slogan nor it amounts to sedition. Hence, dismissed," said Devendra S Sengar, adv of 11 accused in the case. +
"Even after a year, the police did not produce a single piece of evidence to prove that Pakistan Zindabad slogans were raised in the event," Sengar said.
"All the accused have secured bail," he added.
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Case - III
July 2, 2022:
Raisa Begum, a BJP leader from Katni district won Chaka Panchayat election for the 4th time in a row in a Hindu majority village.
Soon after her victory with merely 10 votes, supporters gathered outside her house & raised slogans.
Her Hindu opponent allegedly morphed the video replacing Wajid Bhai Zindabad with ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ and complained to the police.
The following day, a mob of over 100, armed with sticks and iron rods tried to barge inside Wajid's house but police foiled their attack.
Later, the police investigation found that the video was morphed.
Katni police, who told the media that the action will be taken against the complainant if the video found morphed, did not lodge an FIR.
There is a pattern in the above 3 cases; The victims belong to the minority while the complaints are associated with right-wing groups.
They were either booked or attacked over morphed video, slammed with sedition and NSA charges which were later struck down by the courts.
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"Just like it is not a crime to chant ‘America Zindabad, Germany Zindabad, Sri Lanka Zindabad or Japan Zindabad, when the two countries continue to maintain diplomatic relations, chanting Pakistan zindabad is not a crime," said Anus Tanveer, Supreme Court lawyer.
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The family of the accused continued to face slander even after Courts / Police found it untrue & gave a cleanchit.
They were often called 'traitors' and 'sympathizers of India's foe Pakistan'.
Story on @boomlive_in
boomlive.in/india/pakistan…
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