This Article is From Aug 20, 2016

Amnesty Has Not Indulged In Anti-National Activities: Karnataka Home Minister

Amnesty Has Not Indulged In Anti-National Activities: Karnataka Home Minister

Kashmir debate was organised by Amnesty India at United Theological College in Bengaluru.

Bengaluru: Amnesty India has never involved itself in any kind of anti-national activities, Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara said today.

The clean chit comes even as the organisation faces sedition charges over an event where anti-India slogans were allegedly raised.

"Amnesty International is not new to Bengaluru; this organisation has been functioning here for a long time. I don't know nor I have heard in the past about it (Amnesty) or anyone from it involving in any anti-national activities," he said.

"They (Amnesty) had organised a programme about Army's excesses in Kashmir. They had called a few families (from Kashmir) to console them and give them some sort of mental support, in which certain incidents took place about which an FIR has been registered," he said.

Amnesty International had organised an event as part of a campaign to seek justice for "victims of human rights violations" in Jammu and Kashmir last Saturday that took an ugly turn with heated exchanges and alleged raising anti-India slogans.

ABVP activists had submitted a CD of the event after filing a complaint with police, who have registered an FIR against Amnesty International, including on sedition charge.

IPC sections-- 142 (being member of an unlawful assembly), 143 (whoever is a member of an unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 124A (sedition), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) have been invoked against Amnesty. Criticising BJP and ABVP for holding protests,

Mr Parameshwara said now that an FIR had been registered, ABVP were holding protests on the streets.

"What is your culture? What are you trying to do? What kind of society are you trying to build?"

"They (protesters) are students, they are not aware of anything, those who had gone for classes are being brought forcefully (to protest), this is BJP's culture," he added.

ABVP activists have been staging protests, demanding the arrest of those who allegedly raised anti-India and anti-Army slogans at the event organised by Amnesty International India.

During one such protest in front of Amnesty International India office here yesterday, police resorted to a mild lathi charge during which a few students were injured. ABVP today intensified its agitation by launching a day-night protest here.

Several state BJP leaders and party's women's wing also staged a protest here condemning police action against ABVP activists and demanding arrest of those involved in alleged anti-Army sloganeering.

 
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