Anti-India slogans: Amnesty India booked for sedition, denies charges; ABVP plans massive protests

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said that a sedition case has been filed against the India brand of Amnesty International for raising pro-Kashmir freedom slogans at a Bengaluru based event.

Bengaluru: A sedition case was filed against the India chapter of Amnesty International on Tuesday for allegedly allowing its employees to raise anti-India slogans at an event on Kashmir in Bangaluru.

The development was confirmed by Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara, who said that a sedition case has been filed against the India brand of Amnesty International for raising pro-Kashmir freedom slogans at a Bengaluru based event.

"We have to now look into it more seriously, they have taken the case, registered an FIR, investigating what exactly has happened and also looking to those videos and CCTV tapings. Whatever the police investigations, according to that, action will be taken," said Parameshwara.

A case was registered against Amnesty International India under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 124A, 142, 143, 147, 153 in connection with alleged raising of "independence" slogans by "pro-freedom" Kashmiris who entered into arguments with a Kashmiri Pandit leader for hailing the Indian Army.

Breaking his silence over the issue, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the state police is probing the case."The FIR has been registered. The police officials are probing the case. After the investigation, law will take its own course," said Siddaramaiah.

BJP MP Pralhad Joshi also demanded the immediate arrest of those who had raised slogans against Indian soldiers during the Amnesty event here.

Meanwhile, reacting to the First Information Report (FIR) filed by the ABVP group, Amnesty International India today said that the allegations mentioned in the complaint are without substance and that it is an attempt to prevent the families of victims of human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir from having their stories heard.

"Amnesty International India`s vision is for every person in India to enjoy the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, other international human rights standards, and the Constitution of India. We are independent of any political, economic or ideological interests," said a statement from Amnesty International.

A panel discussion on Saturday had turned chaotic as some "pro-freedom" Kashmiris, entered into heated arguments with a Kashmiri Pandit leader for hailing the Indian Army.

Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists, who staged a protest against the event and called it "anti-national", filed a complaint in connection with the case. The ABVP has also called for a state-wide protest in Karnataka over Amnesty International sedition issue on August 17.

The event was organised by Amnesty International India at United Theological College.

With ANI inputs