Bengaluru: The 24-year-old graphic designer, who was arrested for holding a controversial banner during a protest, has said that she did so to support Amulya Leona Noronha, who has been slapped with a sedition charge for shouting “Pakistan Zindabad” during an anti-CAA protest in Bengaluru’s Freedom Park.
Ardra, who has been booked under sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language) and 153B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration) of the IPC, had held a banner reading”Muslim, Dalit, Kashmiri, Bahujan, Adivasi, Trans Liberation Now” during the protest. According to reports, she told the police that she had planned the protest as a counter to the anti-Amulya protests being held by right-wingers.
In portions of her statement released by the police, Ardra said, “I went to the spot with the placard knowing that these people (right-wing and Kannada organisations) were protesting and wanted to counter it by extending support to Amulya.”
Ardra has been remanded to judicial custody till March 5.
According to reports, the police said that they are trying to identify the organisation and individuals who allegedly provoked Ardra’s behaviour.
It can be recalled that Amulya, on February 20, shouted “Pakistan Zindabad” and “Hindustan Zindabad” during the anti-CAA, in the presence of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, before the mic was taken away from her and she was taken away by the police.
Ever since the incident, many have criticised the organisers and the police for acting rash and not allowing Amulya, who seemed to have been trying to make a point, to complete her speech. While there have been edited videos that only show Amulya shouting “Pakistan Zindabad”, a video posted by news agency ANI shows that she also shouted “Hindustan Zindabad”. Even though the mic was taken away from her, in the video, Amulya continued to try to speak without the mic. She managed to say “The difference between ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ and ‘Hindustan Zindabad’ is…” before the video ends. It can also be noted that the crowd was silent when she shouted “Pakistan Zindabad” and responded only when she shouted “Hindustan Zindabad”.
#WATCH The full clip of the incident where a woman named Amulya at an anti-CAA-NRC rally in Bengaluru raised slogan of ‘Pakistan zindabad’ today. AIMIM Chief Asaddudin Owaisi present at rally stopped the woman from raising the slogan; He has condemned the incident. pic.twitter.com/wvzFIfbnAJ
— ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2020
A purported Facebook post by Amulya has surfaced in which she has said ”Zindabad” for several neighbouring countries, and adds that doing so does not make her belong to them.
“Hindustan Zindabad, Pakistan Zindabad, Bangladesh Zindabad, Sri Lanka Zindabad, Nepal Zindabad, Afghanistan Zindabad, China Zindabad, Nepal Zindabad…whichever country it may be, Zindabad to all countries,” said the post in Kannada.
“You teach children that country means soil, but as children, we are telling you country means- people living there. People should get all basic amenities, they should get all basic rights, the government of all countries should take care of its people in a good way. Zindabad to all those who are doing public service,” she says.
