Police on Monday filed a sedition case against Amnesty International's India chapter today in connection with alleged raising of anti-India slogans during a debate on Kashmir it organised in Bengaluru.
The debate, held on Saturday, had turned chaotic after some members from Kashmir -- most of whom were students -- entered into a heated argument with a Kashmiri Pandit leader.
A former journalist, RK Mattoo had said, "The Army is present everywhere in the North-East, Kashmir and other sundry places. I can tell you proudly that the Indian Army is one of the disciplined armies in the world."
The "pro-freedom" Kashmiris vehemently objected, leading to a heated exchange and slogan shouting. The policemen posted at the event eventually managed to pacify the warring groups.
Yesterday, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara had said the intention and background of those involved will be investigated.
Activists of ABVP, BJP's student wing, who staged a protest yesterday against the event, calling it "anti-national", filed a complaint with the police, submitting a video recording of the event.
Amnesty India said it had organised the event as part of a campaign to seek justice for "victims of human rights violations" in Jammu and Kashmir.
Amnesty said as a matter of policy, it does not take any position in favour or against demands for self-determination. It however added that "it considers the right to freedom of expression under international human rights law protects the right to peacefully advocate political solutions that do not involve incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence."
A wider debate on the ambit of the sedition law had disrupted the Parliament earlier this year after JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar among others were arrested from campus for sedition.
To opposition demands in Rajya Sabha of scrapping the 'relic' law, Home Minister Rajnath Singh had said that an all-party meet will be scheduled to discuss following a report by the Law Commission.
