Srinagar: Days after it came to fore that seven university students have been booked under UA(P)A for ‘celebrating’ Australia’s win over India in World Cup final, Jammu and Kashmir police on Tuesday issued a full-stretch rebuttal saying the “case is not merely about raising pro-Pakistan slogans but in full context in which the sloganeering took place.”
Taking to microblogging site ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), Ganderbal Police wrote on its official handle; “A number of opinions and comments have been made on the legal cognisance taken of the happenings surrounding anti-India sloganeering and intimidation of others who did not agree with them in a university after the conclusion of World Cup cricket match.”
The Police said two relevant aspects are brought to public knowledge. “First: it is not merely about raising pro Pakistan slogans. It is about the full context in which the sloganeering took place. These slogans, as has usually been the case with select few bullies, were aired to intimidate those who disagreed and also to identify and vilify those who choose to keep a distance. It is also about normalising an abnormal: that everyone hates India (as different from the government of the day and party in power) ‘openly’. This abnormal and false thing is practiced mostly on the back of separatist and terrorist networks. In other words, the aim is not airing personal preference of a particular sporting team. It is not about dissent or freedom of expression. It is about terrorising others who may be nourishing pro India feelings or anti Pakistan feelings or disagreeing. There were written complaints to evidence this.”
The second aspect, it said, is: “application of the right law. Section 13 of UAPA is about inciting, advocating and encouraging separatist ideology. It is not about planning, aiding and executing actual terror acts. It classifies such actions as unlawful. In contrast to other provisions of act it is a softer provision of act.”
“Hence as per the content of the complaints, FIR No. 317/2023 stands registered and section 13 UAPA invoked for inciting and abetting the unlawful activities. Section 505 and 506 IPC too have been invoked for ‘public mischief’ and ‘criminal intimidation’ respectively.”
“It is pertinent to mention that, the FIR is lodged on the basis of written complaints received and relevant sections are invoked as per the contents of the complaint”, the post reads further.
Notably, Jammu and Kashmir Police booked seven students of Sher-e-Kashmir University’s veterinary sciences and animal husbandry department, over charges of ‘celebrating’ Australia’s win over India in the finals of the recently concluded World Cup.
The students, as per various independent reports, have been booked under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, Section 13, IPC Section 505, IPC Section 506.
