Lawyers suggested that such provocative statements by BC Patil, Minister of Agriculture, set a dangerous precedent and that he should be booked for his statements.
In another provocative statement, Karnataka Agriculture Minister BC Patil likened those who say 'Pakistan Zindabad' to the coronavirus, which has claimed the lives of close to 3,000 people around the world. The minister's statement comes just days after he called for a law to shoot 'anti-nationals'. "If anyone in Pakistan says 'Jai Bharat Mata', the person will be beheaded in five minutes. The people who are in our country, eat our food and drink our water and say Pakistan Zindabad. Are they not traitors? They are like coronavirus," BC Patil said speaking to reporters. He added that he will request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring in a law to shoot 'anti-nationals' who raise slogans against India on sight. Though the minister has not taken any names, a college student named Amulya was arrested in Bengaluru for saying 'Pakistan Zindabad' and has been dominating headlines in Kannada media. Many lawyers in Bengaluru said that leaders who make such provocative statements are setting a dangerous precedent and that they should also be booked by the police. "It is a dangerous trend that is developing. A lot of people are saying that 'anti-nationals' should be shot, cut into pieces. Statements like these are an incitement to commit an offence under the penal code. But in some cases, complaints are not registered against those who make these statements," says Maitreyi Krishnan, a Bengaluru-based advocate. Section 505 in the Indian Penal Code (statements conducing to public mischief) details punishment of fine or imprisonment up to three years for making provocative statements. Section 153A of the IPC (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc) also applies in some cases, Maitreyi adds. "It is shocking that a minister in the state government is saying this and that the police and the Chief Minister is mum about it. He has said 'Goli Maaro Saalon ki' should become a law. It is a ridiculous statement," says advocate Vinay Sreenivasa with the Alternative Law Forum (ALF). "There is a pattern of suppressing dissent in Karnataka. The charges against the poet Siraj Bisaralli and the women in Bidar's Shaheen School show that any kind of critical voices will be suppressed by booking cases and issuing threats," Vinay adds. Apart from BC Patil, Sri Rama Sene leader Sanjeev Maradi from Ballari was booked by police for suggesting that student protesters like Amulya should not be given bail and that if they are given bail, members of the Sri Rama Sene will do an 'encounter' on her. An FIR was registered at Hospet Town Police Station under sections 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), based on a complaint by Bhaskar Reddy, a CPI(M) leader in Ballari city. However, police are yet to make an arrest in the case.
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