Sedition case filed after alleged pro-Pak slogans during poll celebrations in K’taka

Police in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka on Wednesday registered an FIR (first information report) after pro-Pakistan slogans were allegedly raised during celebrations by Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) members when their candidate won in the Gram Panchayat election. The celebrations were held in front of SDM College in Ujire in Dakshina Kannada and an FIR was registered at the Belthangady police station under 124A (sedition) and other relevant sections of the penal code. The identity of those who chanted the slogans are yet to be established.

Speaking with TNM, District Superintendent of Police, BM Laxmi Prasad said a video was circulated which showed pro-Pakistan slogans being allegedly raised during celebrations by SDPI in Ujire.  He said, “It happened during SDPI’s celebrations when their candidate won in the Gram Panchayat elections. But we don’t know who has shouted in the crowd.”

The celebrations took place at 2:30 pm on Wednesday. “During the Gram Panchayat election counting on 30.12.2020, an FIR was registered against some miscreants in Ujire for chanting pro-Pakistan slogans,” a press statement by the police in Dakshina Kannada said. 

The FIR has been registered under Sections 143 (Punishment for a member of an unlawful assembly),124A (sedition)  read with 149 (Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object.) of the Indian Penal Code. 

As reported earlier counting of votes for gram panchayat polls were underway since morning. Karnataka State Election Commission officials said counting was on at all 226 centres at the Taluk headquarters by adhering to strict COVID-19 protocol of mandatory wearing of face masks, social distancing and hand hygiene.

During the election, ballot papers were used in all districts except Bidar, election officials said.

The elections to 5,728 village panchayats had taken place across 226 Taluks of the state for 82,616 seats. They were conducted in two phases on December 22 and 27 where 78.58 per cent voting was registered. As many as 2,22,814 candidates contested the election whereas 8,074 candidates were elected unopposed.