Karnataka School Slapped with Sedition for Staging Anti-CAA Play
Karnataka Police question school students. Image Courtesy: Social Media
Management of a Karnataka school has been slapped with sedition for reportedly staging a play purportedly criticising the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and National Register of Citizens (NRC) on Sunday.
According to a News18 report, Shaheen Education Institute in Bidar district was booked under Sections 124A (sedition), 504 (provoke breach of peace) 505(2) (statements promoting enmity), 153A (promoting communal hatred) and 34 (act done by several prsons in furtherance of common intention) of the IPC. For the play that was performed by minors from the school, the head of the school and the management have been named in the FIR.
Apart from them, a person named Mohammed Yousuf Rahim has also been booked for sharing a video of the play on social media, said the report.
Complainant Nilesh Rakshyal, who claimed to be a social worker, was quoted as saying that “the skit by the students and the way it was shared on social media platforms could disturb the peace in society”. It also sent out a “wrong message” about the government policies and decisions, he said.
He took objection to the staging of the play reportedly also because it showed Prime Minister Narendra Modi in “bad light”. As per the report, he was quoted as alleging, “The drama also sent a message that people of one community would have to leave the country if CAA and NRC were brought into force.” Rakshyal has demanded action against the management of the school.
India Today said that SP Bidar confirmed the reports and said that they were questioning the students who participated in the skit to know who tutored them.
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) also staged a protest against the institute and submitted a memorandum to the home minister.
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