Girl who shouted 'Pakistan zindabad' at anti-CAA protest in Bengaluru sent to 14-day judicial custody

Amulya, the girl who raised slogans of 'Pakistan zindabad' during an anti-rally in Bengaluru has been slapped with sedition charges. She has been sent to a 14-day judicial custody.

Earlier, she was denied bail by the judicial magistrate.

"We have registered a suo moto case under Section 124A (sedition), 153A and B (promoting enmity between different groups and imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration). Once formalities are completed, we will produce Amulya before judicial magistrate," B Ramesh, DCP Bengaluru (West) told reporters.

On Thursday, the organisers of the "Save Constitution" protest had invited her to speak on-stage, soon after AIMIM leader had addressed the gathering. However, taking to the stage, Amulya asked the people present at the gathering to shout 'Pakistan Zindabad' along with her.

The organisers present onstage, realising the extent of the impending controversy, tried to snatch the microphone away from her and visibly manhandled her almost immediately. But Amulya held on. Her defence was that she was seemingly trying to make some obscure point about "the difference between the slogans 'Hindustan Zindabad' and 'Pakistan Zindabad'".

AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, who was also present at the protest, tried to stop her. Soon after this, Owaisi tried his hands at disaster management and said that he condemned her statement, making it clear that the girl, Amulya, was not associated with the AIMIM. "I condemn this statement. The woman is not associated with us. Humare liye Bharat Zindabad tha, zindabad rahega (For us, the slogan has always been 'Long live India' and so will it remain)," the AIMIM chief said taking to the microphone soon after the ruckus.

The girl's father also censured the development saying that what she did was wrong. "What Amulya said is wrong. She was joined by some Muslims and was not listening to me," Amulya's father was quoted by ANI as saying.