A video of protesters purportedly raising "Pakistan Zindabad" slogans during an agitation held here by the Popular Front of India (PFI) has surfaced on social media, prompting some BJP leaders in Maharashtra to demand strong action against the slogan shouters. The city police said they were looking into the matter.
The PFI had organised a protest outside the district collector office in Pune city on Friday to denounce the recent nationwide raids on the organisation and the arrest of its activists.
During the protest, the police detained around 40 protesters. A video of "Pakistan Zindabad" slogans being raised when the protesters were taken into custody and made to sit in a police vehicle, went viral on social media.
When asked about the pro-Pakistan slogans by the protesters, the city police said they were investigating the matter. "We have already registered a case against the PFI members for unlawful assembly and we are looking into the slogans matter," said Sagar Patil, Deputy Commissioner of Police.
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, another official said.
Taking to Twitter, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Nitesh Rane said those who raised pro-Pakistan slogans should remember that they will not be spared. He also demanded a ban on the PFI.
"To all those shouting Pakistan Zindabad slogans in support of PFI in Pune.. Chun chun ke marenge.. Itna yaad rakana!!! #BanPfi," he said.
Another BJP MLA Ram Satpute sought a strict action against those who raised slogans, and said the Pune police should arrest them.
In a massive crackdown on the PFI, multi-agency teams spearheaded by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had, on Thursday, arrested 106 leaders and activists of the radical Islamic outfit in near-simultaneous raids in 15 states for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country.
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.
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