BENGALURU: "The charge of sedition (Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code) against the Amnesty International, India is justified," said former lokayukta and retired Supreme Court judge Justice N. Santosh Hegde.
"What did they mean by raising slogans of 'azadi' during the last weekend's event in the City? Kashmir is an integral part of India and by shouting slogans of 'azadi' did they not imply freedom of Kashmir from India? If this is not sedition what else is sedition?" questioned Justice Hegde, while emphasizing that the Fundamental Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression as enshrined in Article 19 (1)(a) of the Constitution is not an "absolute" right and that there are qualifiers. Article 19(6) states that there should be "reasonable restrictions on the exercise of the right to freedom of speech and expression to be imposed by law," he said.
He slammed the AI, India for holding a one-sided event; on showcasing the human right violations of three Kashmiri families at a time, when there is a massive unrest in the North Indian state. "If Amnesty was keen to highlight rights violations why did they not invite families of the Army officers and jawans, who have lost their lives in counter terrorist operations and violence in J&K? Why were Kashmir Pandits left out from the event? Have they not suffered rights violations and displacement?" he asked.
Justice Hegde said invocation of Section 124 A of the IPC was justified in the FIRs in the events in the Jawaharlal Nehru University in February this year and in Bengaluru on August 13. "In JNU when the FIR was registered against the protesting students for sedition for raising anti-India slogans they detracted and said they were not involved in sloganeering and Amnesty did the same. They are trying to run away from their responsibility," said Justice Hegde. He added that there should not be politics, where the nation's integrity and sovereignty was concerned.
AII official meets CM
Meanwhile, the Executive Director of AI, India Aakar Patel reportedly met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday morning and spoke to him about the event -'Broken Families' in detail, said sources in the CM's office.
The City police had registered an FIR against the international rights NGO for sedition among other sections of the IPC after the ABVP students lodged a criminal complaint against the AI, India for raising anti-India slogans during the event, which was held at the United Theological College on August 13.
