Amnesty in ABVP’s Sights: Bengaluru Police File Sedition Charges
ABVP activists staged a protest on Sunday against the event, calling it “anti-national”.
On Monday, an FIR was registered against Amnesty International India in connection with alleged raising of “independence” slogans by “pro-freedom” Kashmiris who entered into heated arguments with a Kashmiri Pandit leader for hailing the Indian Army.
A police official involved in the investigation said that an FIR has been registered and investigations will proceed.
A panel discussion on Saturday had turned chaotic as some “pro-freedom” Kashmiris, most of whom were youngsters and students, entered into heated arguments with a Kashmiri Pandit leader for hailing the Indian Army.
The event was organised by Amnesty International India at United Theological College in Bengaluru. Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara had on Sunday said the intention and background of those involved will be investigated.
ABVP activists, who staged a protest on Sunday against the event calling it “anti-national”, had also filed a complaint with the police along with a CD containing video recording of the event.
Holding that it had organised the event as part of a campaign to seek justice for “victims of human rights violations” in Jammu and Kashmir, Amnesty International India in a statement had said towards the end of the event, some of those who attended raised slogans, some of which referred to calls for ‘azadi’ (freedom).
Amnesty had said it considers that the right to freedom of expression under international human rights law protects the right to peacefully advocate political solutions that do not involve incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence.
(With inputs from PTI)
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