Hours after the Congress candidate from Karnataka, Syed Naseer Hussain, won the Rajya Sabha election on 28 February, a video of a mob of party supporters allegedly shouting ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ went viral on social media. Now, forensic experts have also confirmed the same, according to a report in India Today. According to an investigation of the footage, pro-Pakistan slogans were indeed chanted in the Karnataka Assembly during celebrations of the Congress candidate’s victory in the Rajya Sabha.
Pro-Pakistan slogans were found to be present in both the audio as well as the video and the report which was turned in to the state government also claimed that the footage had not been distorted. The Karnataka police on 29th February had already apprehended Mohmad Shafi Naashipudi in connection with the case. Superintendent of Police for Haveri, Anshukumar stated, “The detained suspect was identified as Mohmad Shafiq Naashipudi.”
An individual was questioned by the Bengaluru police over the crime in the meantime. The interrogation ended with his release. The senior police official informed, “On February 27, a case was registered in the Vidhana Soudha police station related to the pro-Pakistan slogans raised in the Karnataka Assembly. In this case, a suspect, Mohmad Shafiq Naashipudi, has been detained by the Bengaluru police.”
The police had taken voice recordings of several people for forensic analysis. However, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said the forensic report was yet to come. He said, “as soon as the report comes, we will take strict action. Action has already been taken on seven people.”
On 28th February, a huge uproar broke out when the person, now identified as a shopkeeper from Byadagi raised pro-Pakistani slogans while cheering Congress politician Syed Naseer Hussain’s success in the Rajya Sabha election at the Vidhana Soudha. On 29th February, the forensic report was considered by the state cabinet. During the discussion, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah voiced his disapproval of the Vidhana Soudha security Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) and questioned why so many persons were permitted entry into the building.
Regarding the matter, the Congress government came under fire from the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Leading the ‘Raj Bhavan Chalo’ march on 29th February, the BJP MLAs demanded the removal of the Congress government for the state’s deplorable peace and order condition. R. Ashoka, the Leader of the Opposition, headed the group. Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah has called for a probe into the incident and threatened to take harsh measures if it turned out that the phrase “Pakistan Zindabad” had been uttered.
Notably, after the state unit of BJP flagged the issue, dubious ‘fact-checker’ Mohammed Zubair claimed otherwise and was supported by several Congress leaders including the son of President of the Indian National Congress Mallikarjun Kharge and Karnataka Minister of Information and Technology Priyank Kharge as well as party’s Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Singh Surjewala among others. However, the local police acknowledged the allegations and started an inquiry which proved the authenticity of the controversial clip.
Congress on 26th February won three Rajya Sabha seats in Karnataka, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) managed to secure one seat after one of its MLAs cross-voted in favour of the ruling party in the state.