Karnataka: Pro-Pakistan slogans raised in Bhadravati during Eid Milad festival

Shivamogga (Karnataka) Sep 9 (PTI) Pro-Pakistan slogans were allegedly raised during the Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi celebrations in the communally sensitive Bhadravati town of Shivamogga district, police sources said on Tuesday.

According to police, a Muslim outfit had organised the celebration on Monday night in Bhadravati Old Town. A video that has gone viral purportedly shows a group of youths shouting "Pakistan Zindabad." The incident has triggered concern in the district, which has witnessed communal flare-ups in the past.

Shivamogga Superintendent of Police G K Mithun Kumar said, "the video contains certain slogans, which are pro-Pakistan. With regard to this, we have registered an FIR in the Old Town police station limits in Bhadravati. We are also verifying where the video was shot, who has shot it, when it was done and based on the findings, we will be taking strict action." Three teams headed by inspectors have been formed to investigate the matter, he added.

According to him, the police have recorded video of the procession. Video cameras, drone cameras and voice enabled CCTV cameras were also deployed, he said.

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi condemned the mindset behind raising such slogans.

Chikkaballapura BJP MP K Sudhakar said this incident shows that the anti-national elements are emboldened under the Congress rule in the state.

He said it started with similar sloganeering on the Vidhana Soudha corridors two years ago.

BJP state president B Y Vijayendra termed the incident a "heinous act of treason".

It seems that raising the slogan ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ has become the agenda of the Congress government, the Shikaripura MLA said.

"Encouraged by Congress itself to shout ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ inside the Vidhana Soudha, anti-national miscreants have now started raising seditious slogans on the streets. In this regard, the incident of shouting ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ during the Eid Milad procession in Bhadravati yesterday is a heinous act of treason," Vijayendra said in a post on 'X'.

He charged that attempts were made to tarnish the Dharmasthala and the traditional Dasara festival, and communal clashes during Ganesha festival in Maddur in Mandya with the intention of disturbing the peace of Karnataka.

Calling the ruling Congress "Hindu Virodhi", Vijayendra said, "What exactly is the Congress government trying to do with Karnataka? BJP strongly demands that those who raised such anti-national slogans be immediately arrested and dealt with under strict legal provisions." PTI GMS GMS KH