Karnataka college principal booked over alleged objection to ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ slogans

Bidar (Karnataka) (PTI): A case has been registered against a pre-university college principal here for allegedly objecting to students raising 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and 'Vande Mataram' slogans after an Independence Day celebration, police said on Thursday.

Based on a complaint filed by the father of a student, Chitguppa police registered a case against Abdul Hakeem (39) on August 17 under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, police said.

According to the FIR, the complainant’s son is a second-year PUC student at the college in Chitguppa town. The college held Independence Day celebrations on August 15, during which the national flag was hoisted, followed by cultural programmes and the national anthem.

After the national anthem, the student, along with some other students, raised slogans such as 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and 'Vande Mataram' while leaving the college premises at around 10 am, the FIR said.

At that time, Hakeem, a resident of Madargi, allegedly stopped the students and warned them against raising such slogans.

The principal allegedly told the students not to raise the slogans again, claiming that they were associated with a particular religious community and would not be allowed on the college premises, according to the complaint.

The complainant alleged that, as students from different communities study at the college, the principal had discriminated against them on religious grounds and acted in a manner that could create animosity among students belonging to different communities.

Based on the complaint, police registered a case against the principal under Sections 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) and 353(2) of the BNS, police said. Further investigation is underway.