Bidar School Sedition Case: Management Accuses Police of Harassment as Cops Continue Questioning of Minor Students Over Anti-CAA Skit 'Insulting PM Modi', Karnataka Home Minister Calls Matter 'Very Serious'
As the Bidar police continued questioning of minor students in connection with a sedition case against Shaheen Primary and High School, management of the institution accused cops of harassing their teaching and non-teaching staff.
Bengaluru, February 5: As the Bidar police continued questioning of minor students in connection with a sedition case against Shaheen Primary and High School, management of the institution accused cops of harassing their teaching and non-teaching staff. On Tuesday, a police team, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Basaveshwara Hira interrogated some students for the fourth time regarding a skit against the Citizenship Amendment Act, in which some characters allegedly "insulted" Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Thouseef Madikeri, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Shaheen Group, which runs the school, said that the management will fight sedition charges legally as "we have not done anything wrong". "We fully intend to legally defend ourselves as we have done no wrong. A phrase uttered by a 10-11-year-old child was inadvertent and unintentional. But why slap a sedition case against us?" Madikeri said. "We are unnecessarily being victimised. Police are harassing our staff, students and those associated with the institution," he added. Karnataka School Students Enact Demolition of Babri Masjid at Function Attended by Union Minister.
On Tuesday, four policemen in civil dress, along with two female members of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), arrived at Shaheen Primary and High School and started questioning teaching and non-teaching staff. In the afternoon, DSP Hira joined the team and began grilling seven students. The questioning of minor students lasted for two hours. Of the seven students, only one was part of the anti-CAA play. Why Citizenship Amendment Act+NRC Raise Fear And Concerns: A Multi-Dimensional Take.
Amid outrage over hours-long questionning of children, Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the matter was "very serious and sensitive". "Everything has been done as per law. The law is taking its own course. It is a very serious and sensitive case. I am gathering more details about the probe in the case," Bommai told news agency ANI.
The anti-CAA skit staged on January 26. A sedition case was registered based on a complaint by Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activist Nilesh Rakshala. Subsequently, the headmistress of the school Fareeda Begum and Najamunnisa, the mother of a student who allegedly made derogatory remarks against the PM, were arrested on January 30 and sent to jail.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 05, 2020 09:31 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).