The Kerala High Court, commenting on the incident where a child raised provocative slogans at a PFI rally, orally observed “what is happening in this country” as it considered a writ petition which had sought a stay on marches and rallies by the Popular Front of India (PFI) and Bajrang Dal on May 21 in Alappuzha. The court had then directed police to maintain law and order.
Justice PV Kunhikrishnan said if a member of a rally raises provocative slogans, the organisers should also be held responsible. “If a rally is conducted, it is the duty of the leaders to control the members of the rally,” the court observed.
The order read, “Whether the members of the rally raised the slogan with the knowledge of the leaders or whether there is any connivance between the leaders who organised the rally with the persons who raised provocative slogans is a matter to be investigated by the police. Prima facie, they are responsible. So they should be implicated as accused in the case and the police should investigate the matter.”
Police have also informed the court that apart from the case on provocative slogans, two other cases were registered against PFI and Bajrang Dal.
The case against PFI was for conducting the rally at Alappuzha town at about 4.30pm on May 21 and violating the conditions issued by the district administration while granting sanction for their programme. The case against Bajrang Dal was for conducting bike rally without permission.
In the purported video of the incident doing the rounds, a boy, perched on the shoulders of an adult, can be seen shouting provocative slogans as others repeat in chorus.
The PFI, in a statement to the media, said such slogans were against the policy of the outfit. “We have given approved slogans which were to be raised in the public rally at Alappuzha. Thousands of party workers and others joined the rally protesting against the RSS. The visual of a boy raising slogans came to our notice now. Those slogans were not approved or given by the organisers of the rally. It’s not the policy of the organisation to provoke or raise provocative slogans,” PFI State secretary CA Raoof said in the note.
Police have so far arrested 20 people, including PFI Alappuzha district president Navas, and identified the child and the family but they are absconding.
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