A case of sedition has been filed against Amnesty India by the Karnataka police after anti-India slogans were allegedly raised during a debate on Kashmir. Amnesty has not received the FIR, but is questioning why organising an event to defend constitutional values is being criminalised.
The debate, which included students and others from Jammu and Kashmir, became disorderly after a point. Heated words were reportedly exchanged after Kashmiri Pandit leader and former journalist RK Mattoo said, “The Army is present everywhere in the North-East, Kashmir and other sundry places. I can tell you proudly that the Indian Army is one of the most disciplined armies in the world.”
Policemen went to control the situation as chaos ensued. Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah commented on the issue, saying he will wait for the course of law to take place.
Amnesty has released a statement on how “it considers 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”.
ABVP protested the event on Sunday, describing it as “anti-national”. The students’ body affiliated to the BJP’s ideological mentor the RSS and filed a complaint with the police with a video recording.
