KARACHI: After the video of a person shouting azaadi at an event to discuss atrocities in India-held Kashmir in Bengaluru, India, went viral, the police on Monday filed sedition charges against Amnesty International India, according to a report in the Times of India.
The event ‘Broken Families’ organised by Amnesty International was held on Saturday at the United Theological College, JC Nagar. The idea behind the event was to invite families from India-held Kashmir to talk about what was happening to their loved ones and the problems they were facing in the region.
However, right-wing groups in the city took exception to the event and filed a complaint with the police against the organisers. They claimed that ‘anti-national’ slogans were being shouted at the event. Before the programme got under way, many right-wing groups had started camping out at the venue to join arguments at the event.
After the event ended, members of BJP’s student wing protested in front of the college and came back the following day for another protest. They claimed that anti-national slogans were being shouted at the talk.
According to the police, a First Information Report against Amnesty International in India and others was filed under Sections 124-A (sedition), 153-A (promoting enmity), 142 (unlawful assembly) and 147 (rioting) of the Indian Penal Code.
A senior police officer explained that the decision on what sections to apply was taken after a long discussion where evidence such as the video footage was available for examination.
So far, the police added that no arrests had been made.
Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2016
