BJP protest 'pro-Pak' slogans in Assembly premises, Karnataka Minister says 'probing'

Bengaluru, Feb 28 (IANS) Karnataka BJP on Wednesday launched a statewide protest to condemn the alleged incident of raising of pro-Pakistan slogans in the Assembly premises here during the victory celebration of a Congress candidate in the Rajya Sabha election. The state home minister, on the other hand, said the allegation was being probed.

Leader of the Opposition, R. Ashoka took a protest march from the State Legislators’ House to the Vidhana Soudha slamming the Congress government for not addressing the issue seriously.

The LoP in the Legislative Council Kota Srinivas Poojari, BJP General Secretary and MLA V. Sunil Kumar and other BJP MLAs joined him in the protest.

Ashoka stated, “I have sought time from the Governor’s office. The BJP delegation will meet him and submit a memorandum to sack the Congress government immediately. The matter will be raised in the Assembly session in a big manner.”

“It is shameful that people are allowed to raise 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans in the premises of the state legislature. This development puts down the sacrifice of thousands of our soldiers. The Congress government had withdrawn more than 2,000 cases against the Popular Front of India (PFI) and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) party workers accused in criminal cases. Today, anti-India and 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans are taken everywhere,” he charged.

"Instead of securing and arresting the accused who raised the 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogan, they were sent out in cars safely in the presence of the police," Ashoka stated.

Sunil Kumar said, "The Congress government has taken the incident lightly. The government has failed to ensure arrests in the case. This is the result of the policy of appeasement. The anti-national forces are emboldened in Congress rule. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should take moral responsibility for the incident."

The BJP has alleged that 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans were raised while celebrating the victory of Congress' Syed Naseer Hussain in the premises of the Vidhana Soudha on Tuesday night after the Rajya Sabha election results were out.

Reacting to the allegations, Karnataka Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara said there was nothing wrong committed by the Congress party in connection with the incident.

He said the incident involving an individual raising 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogan has been reported in the media. The clippings of the media will be secured and sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for examination. Each media house has presented the story in a different manner, he added.

"The BJP party has also lodged a complaint and both are being investigated. Some are claiming that the slogan was ‘Naseer Hussain Zindabad’ and some alleging that it was ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogan. If it is scientifically proven that an anti-national slogan is raised they will be punished, if not the question does not arise," the minister said.

In the meantime, the Karnataka Police have registered a suo motu case regarding the case.