Bengaluru: Girl Who Raised ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ in Anti-CAA Meet Sent to Judicial Custody

New Delhi:  A 19-year-old student activist Amulya Leona, who raised ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ and ‘Hindustan Zindabad’ slogans and created a flutter on stage in Bengaluru on Thursday evening, where AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi was present, was sent to judicial custody on Friday after being booked for sedition.

The incident took place in Bengaluru where a ‘Save the Constitution’ event was underway in the presence of Lok Sabha MP and All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Owaisi.

As per the video of the event, Leona is seen on stage, holding a mike and shouting the two slogans, which were objected to by Owaisi and others. She seems adamant and attempts to continue her address and can be heard saying ‘the difference…” before being cut short by men on stage who had surrounded her by then.  

The Indian Express report from Bengaluru also says that Amulya appears to be explaining to the audience the difference between chanting “Pakistan Zindabad and Hindustan zindabad.” Incidentally, for quite some time, no female is seen on stage when she is pushed around, not even a policewoman.

Leona, was arrested, has been booked for sedition, with Bharatiya Janata party leader and Karnakata chief minister B S Yediyurappa even announcing that the girl has ‘naxalite’ links.

According to PTI, Leona’s father has flayed his daughter saying that action against her should be taken in accordance with law, adding that she has made an "unforgivable mistake."

“It is an unforgivable mistake, she has caused pain to Indians. I'm deeply disturbed...action should be taken against her in accordance with law, she is around 19, we will have to find out why she said it and who is behind it," he added.

He went on to add: "She is a bright girl...I have tried to tell her not to involve herself in such activities after I got to know she was involving in anti-CAA, anti-NRC protests and complete her education first." 

Meanwhile, alleged Hindu outfits owing allegiance to the ruling BP attacked Leone’s home in Chikamagulur district with stones on Thursday night.

According to The Hindu, alleged BJP supporters damaged doors and windowpanes of her family house in Gullagadde near Koppa.

“They are all BJP supporters. They were in a group. I have complained to the police with names of a few who led the group,” Amulya Leona’s father told The Hindu.

The police has now provided security to Leona’s residence.

Meanwhile, the incident triggered a debate on social media, with many people condemning her but saying she was probably too young and was ‘misled’, while many other’s said booking her under sedition was too harsh and exposed BJP government’s double standards, and pasted videos of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar also raising similar slogans.

Former Karnataka civil servant, Sashikanth Senthil, while terming Leona as ‘brash and immature’ also posted the Sri Sri video in his tweet, where the self-proclaimed spiritual guru is raising the slogan of ‘Pakistan Zindabad’, but has had not case of sedition slapped against him. He also tweeted the girl’s Facebook post, asking people to judge for themselves.

People also posted Amulya Leona’s Facebook post in Kannada with the purported translation backing the view that she was trying to say that all countries should live long, as each country is about its people and its soil.