The opposition party BJP in Karnataka attacked the Congress party on Tuesday after supporters of recently elected Rajya Sabha member Syed Naseer Hussain chanted "Pakistan Zindabad" at the state secretariat Vidhana Soudha to commemorate his victory on February 27. Party members have also lodged a complaint with Bengaluru police at Vidhana Soudha station. Responding to the incident, Hussain posted a clarification video on X, saying, "I never heard a slogan called Pakistan Zindabad there. But, whatever it is, we have already asked the police to investigate".
"If somebody raises such a slogan, he must be dealt with harshly and strictly by the law. There should be an inquiry. And if someone mocked the video, doctored it, and caused mischief, that must be investigated. Or if someone has used the slogan Who are they?" Hussain said.
He further said: "From where did he come and how did they enter the premises there? What was their intention and motive for shouting the slogan should also be seen. But as far as I am concerned, when I was there, no slogan was shouted there... So let us wait for the inquiry and whatever comes out will be there in the public domain".
Reacting to the clarification issued by the Congress MP, Union Minister Prahlad Joshi urged the Congress's top authorities to take serious actions against the newly elected Rajya Sabha MP.
Speaking to ANI, Joshi said: "Today after the victory of Naseer Hussain in Rajya Sabha election from Congress party in the Vidhana Soudha, pro-Pakistani slogans have been raised by the Congress party workers. Instead of condemning this, Naseer Hussain is trying to mislead and say that somebody is spreading false news, which is more dangerous."
Joshi added further: "When the Congress party was in power, they used to socialise with Pakistan. Now they are directly supporting Pakistan. So I strongly condemn it and ask Rahul Gandhi for his thoughts on it. I asked Mallikarjun Kharge for his thoughts on this. Joshi emphasised that Naseer Hussain is Mallikarjun Kharge's'shishy' (disciple)."
"Congress party when it was in power, used to hobnob with Pakistan. Now they are directly supporting Pakistan. So I strongly condemn this and I ask Rahul Gandhi what is his take on this. I asked Mallikarjun Kharge what is his take on this? Because Naseer Hussain is the 'shishy' (disciple) of Mallikarjun Kharge," Joshi urged.
He further added: "Let them clarify, let them condemn it. I also urge the Home Minister of Karnataka to take note of the seriousness of this and take very serious and stringent action on this. Otherwise, the BJP will go on agitation throughout Karnataka".
Congress Promises 'Strict Actions' If Slogans Chanted:
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah also reacted to the incident, saying, "We have sent the voice report to the FSL, if it is true that somebody has raised such slogan - 'Pakistan Zindabad', that person will be punished seriously," he told reporters.
Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge said, "It is apparent in the audio that they have said 'Naseer Hussain and Syed Sahab Zindabad'. However, this is nothing but a desperate measure for the BJP to get back in the game. The party has done an audio forensic check and it is found that there is nothing like that. The govt's FSL report is expected by 11 am".
Reacted to the development, Karnataka Assembly Speaker UT Khader told ANI, "We condemn this and strict actions should be taken. It is outside the premises of the Speaker. I will discuss with CM and HM to conduct a detailed inquiry. I request all the parties to show unity and not politicise things. We will catch the real culprit. No unity between the parties will benefit these elements and they will do the same in some other place too".
Echoing the same sentiments, state Home Minister G Parameshwara said: "We are very serious about it. If it is an anti-national slogan, we will not tolerate it. We will take strict actions, once it is confirmed by the FSL team. An FIR has already been registered yesterday."
"We have to identify the person from the FSL report and if it is true, we will take action against him," Parameshwara told reporters.
BJP Slams Hussain:
On the social media platform X, opposition leader R Ashoka described the chanting as a direct result of the Siddaramaiah regime's appeasement politics. "Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar's appeasement politics have empowered anti-national elements and the tukde-tukde gang...Do you think winning three Rajya Sabha seats will cause the country to be divided again?" he asked.
BY Vijayendra, the state party president, attacked the Congress, claiming that the party contained many more poisons that would harm the country. "The treasonous slogan of Pakistan Zindabad has been echoed in India's temple of democracy," he further said.
Condemning the incident, former Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai called it an example of the Congress aiding and abetting Pakistan supporters. "It is an alarming development that traitors have been given space in the assembly...I request the government to arrest the culprits immediately," Bommai said.
Taking to X, BJP MLA Basanagouda R Patil alleged that the "Pakistan Zindabad" slogans proved the grand old party's stand. According to him, the police, he said, should immediately register a case of treason against the supporters and crush the forces that tried to break united India.
“No lawyer should advocate in court on his behalf. Nation First, Party next, Self last in letter, spirit and practice should be the mission of every citizen,” his tweet in Kannada read when translated in English.
The Congress party won three seats and the BJP won one in the biennial election for four Rajya Sabha seats in Karnataka on Tuesday. Congress candidates Ajay Maken, Hussain, and GC Chandrashekhar won with 47, 46, and 46 votes, respectively. During the election, two BJP MLAs, Yeshwanthpur's ST Somashekar and Yellapur's Shivaram Hebbar, unexpectedly defied the party whip. Somashekar supported the Congress' Makan, but Hebbar abstained.