Pakistan Zindabad slogan: Bail plea of student activist rejected,court says she may abscond

Bengaluru, June 11: A court here has rejected the bail plea of a college student accused of sedition after she chanted Pakistan Zindabad on stage.

The incident occurred on February 20 in the city during a rally which was held to protest against the amended citizenship law. While rejecting the plea, the court observed that if bail is granted to Amulya Leona Noronha, she may involve herself in similar offences which would affect peace at large.

Amulya was booked under charges of sedition and promoting enmity between groups. Her friends however said that she was trying to convey a message of universal humanity by chanting zindabad in the name of all nations, including Pakistan and India.

Judge, Vidhyadhar Shirahatti in his order said that if the petitioner is granted bail she may abscond and hence her petition is rejected.

Video clips of the event showed her changing, " Hindustan Zindabad," soon after she said "Pakistan Zindabad," She says that she was trying to tell the audience that her microphone was snatched by then and she could not complete the speech, which she delivered at the Freedom Park in Bengaluru.

The prosecution argued that Amulya was trying to incite the people and create a law and order problem. The prosecutor said that she had been earlier been accused of causing hatred and disaffection towards religion and the government established by law in India by holding a placard that stated F##K Hindutva during a protest. Since there were cases already registered against her, she would try and commit similar offences, if released on bail, the prosecution also argued.