The Dakshina Kannada district police in Karnataka has filed a sedition case against SDPI activists for allegedly shouting pro-Pakistan slogans after victory in gram panchayat elections in Ujire near Belthangady on Wednesday.
In a video which went viral, few members of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) allegedly shouted Pakistani Zindabad slogans outside a vote counting centre in Belthangady, Dakshina Kannada district.
According to reports in local media, workers from both BJP and SDPI were shouting slogans approaching each other. Just then, some from the SDPI camp allegedly shouted ‘Pakistan Zindabad.’ After learning about the incident, Circle Inspector Sandesh PG dispersed the workers from both the parties.
According to police, an FIR was registered at the Belthangady police station under sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 124 A (sedition) and 149 (offense committed in prosecution of common object) of the Indian penal code (IPC). The identity of those who chanted the slogans are yet to be established.
BJP MP from Udupi-Chikmagalur, Shobha Karandlaje tweeted the video and asked Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa to ban SDPI. “This is neither Peshwarar of Karachi. #PakishtanZindabad slogans raised while celebrating SDPI candidate’s GP election victory in Ujire. Yet again proving the loyalty & intentions of SDPI,” she tweeted.
Dakshina Kannada District Superintendent of Police, BM Laxmi Prasad said, “The incident happened during the Gram Panchayat election counting at the SDM college counting centre on Wednesday afternoon. SDPI members were celebrating when their candidate won in the Gram Panchayat elections. But we don’t know who has shouted in the crowd and we are yet to find the people and investigation is underway.”
Out of the total 5,728 Gram Panchayats that went to polls for 91,339 positions, the results of 54,041 positions have been announced on Wednesday, while the results of 36,781 Gram Panchayat positions are still pending, they will be announced today, according to the Election Commission.
The elections to 5,728 village panchayats in 226 Taluks of the state for 82,616 seats were conducted in two phases on December 22 and 27. As many as 2,22,814 candidates contested the election whereas 8,074 candidates were elected unopposed in the elections.
