Police to compile list of complaints related to anti-national slogans
Patna,(BiharTimes): The police headquarters on Wednesday wrote letters to all superintendents of police (SPs) asking them to compile a list of complaints related to anti-national slogans so that action could be taken against them at an appropriate time.
The move comes a day after three persons were detained in Bodh Gaya for allegedly raising pro-Pakistan slogans at a musical programme in Macharim village of Gaya district on the night of October 31. The youths, hailing from Bhagalpur and Katihar, were released on Wednesday(Nov 2) after a thorough interrogation.
Similar complaints were received from Patna and Biharsharif in Nalanda district sometimes back. A youth identified as Taufiq was arrested from Patna when he allegedly raised a pro-Pakistan slogan during a rally organized by the Popular Front of India some months back.
“In most of the cases, the police hardly gather evidence against the accused to corroborate the charges against them. As a result, the police have no option but to release them either on personal bonds or after giving them a stern warning,” a senior police officer was quoted in The Telegraph.
In the Biharsharif case, he said the police had seized a flag that was being hosted at the house of Anwarul Haq. But the house owner's daughter Shabana Anwar said it was a ‘religious flag’ and not aPakistani flag. Thus she was let off.
The officer clarified that merely raising pro-Pakistan slogans (such as ‘Pakistan Zindabad’) does not invite legal action. But shouting slogans against India (such as “Bharat murdabad”) does make it a criminal offence "and the offenders are liable for punishment on charge of sedition.
According to him the database was being compiled on the directive of the home department, which received numerous complaints about involvement of certain people in anti-national activities. “Instructions have been issued to the officers assigned field duty to keep a watch on the activities of people having connections in Bangladesh, Nepal, China and Afghanistan. These people can pose a
serious threat to the country's internal security,” the officer told the daily.
The headquarters also asked SPs to prepare a list of people involved in rioting cases. The state has witnessed a spurt in rioting cases this year.
