Has links with ‘Naxals’: Karnataka CM opposes bail for woman who raised pro-Pak slogan

india

Updated: Feb 21, 2020 13:54 IST

Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has said that 19-year-old Amulya Leona, who was arrested for alleged sedition for raising pro-Pakistan slogans at an anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) rally in Bengaluru on Thursday, should not be given bail as she had contacts with “Naxals”, said news agency ANI.

Yediyurappa’s no-mercy stance coincides with the right-wing groups holding protests in the state capital against the Bengaluru student.

“Bail should not be given to Amulya, her father has also said he won’t protect her,” Yediyurappa was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Yediyurappa went on to allege that the girl had contacts with “Naxals”.

“It’s proved now that she had contacts with Naxals. Proper punishment should be given,” he added.

Amulya, had raised ‘Hindustan Zindabad’ and ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogan at an anti-CAA rally in Bengaluru where the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaddudin Owaisi was also invited. She was trying to further articulate the difference between the two slogans when she was prevented from speaking further and taken away by the police.

She was slapped with sedition charges under Section 124(A) of the IPC and presented before a magistrate who sent her to 14-day judicial custody and denied her bail.

ANI also quoted Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai backing the CM’s claim of a possible ‘Naxal’ link.

“Amulya comes from a place where Naxals have been very active for a long time. She has shared a lot of posts on Facebook. We will investigate these angle as well,” he was quoted as saying.

The incident has started a political war of words with the state BJP alleging a “joint venture” between “Pakistan and anti-national forces led by @INCIndia” (the Congress’ twitter handle).

Senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi hit out at the AIMIM chief and said he had “sowed the poison” which was leading to the “reaping of vitriolic yields”.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik has alleged that there was a “fixed match” between AIMIM and BJP for making communal statements, said a news agency.