Pune on Friday witnessed protests by the Popular Front of India (PFI) cadres outside the District Collector's office Cit where they had gathered against the massive crackdown by multi-agencies led by National Investigation Agency. Several videos of the protests surfaced on the internet which allegedly claimed saying that the PFI protesors alleged 'Pakistan Zindabad'.
Some PFI members were detained by Pune police and they were arrested this morning and a case has been registered. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, his deputy Devendra Fadnavis and many other state leaders have reacted over the alleged sloganeering.
However, due to high ambience noise in the original video feed some parts of slogans were faint. The question arises now is did the PFI protestors really chanted slogans of 'Pakistan Zindabad'?
Pune Police says claim is 'false':
"We have already registered a case against the PFI members for unlawful assembly and we are looking into the slogans matter," Sagar Patil, Deputy Commissioner of Police said earlier, however the police has now said that the claim is false.
According to a report, several police officials who have watched videos of the protest told Newslaundry that PFI members were shouting "Zindabad, Zindabad, Popular Front Zindabad”.
While, a Twitter account - FactCheck also shared the clip again which showed that the protestors were shouting 'Popular Front Zindabad' slogan and there was no mention of Pakistan in their slogans.
Why were the protests held?
Joint teams of the National Investigation Agency, Enforcement Directorate and police had conducted multiple raids across 15 states of the country against PFI on September 22 and arrested over 106 members, following which the protests were held. An offence against more than 60 protesters has been registered against more than 60 protesters at the Bundgarden police station for organising the agitation without permission, for unlawful assembly and for blocking the road.
Maharashtra and Karnataka accounted for 20 arrests each, Tamil Nadu (10), Assam (9), Uttar Pradesh (8), Andhra Pradesh (5), Madhya Pradesh (4), Puducherry and Delhi (3 each) and Rajasthan (2).
The PFI, formed in 2006, claims to strive for a neo-social movement ostensibly for the empowerment of marginalised sections of India, and is often accused by law enforcement agencies of promoting radical Islam.
Maharashtra CM, Dy CM and other leaders react:
In a tweet, CM Shinde condemned the pro-Pakistan slogan raised by "anti-social elements".
"The police machinery will take appropriate action against them. Such slogans will not be tolerated in the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj," he said.
Reacting to the sloganeering incident, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the state Home Minister said stringent action will be taken. "We will take stringent action against any person raising Pakistan Zindabad slogans in Maharashtra".
Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Nitesh Rane took to Twitter and warned those raising such slogans. He also sought a ban on PFI.
Another BJP MLA Ram Satpute sought a strict action against those who raised slogans, and said the Pune police should arrest them.
