Pro-Pak Slogans Case: Retired Officers Urge VP Jagdeep Dhankhar To Stop MP Syed Nasir Hussain’s Oath

Days after three people were arrested for raising pro-Pakistan slogans inside the Karnataka assembly after a Congress candidate Syed Nasir Hussain’s victory in Rajya Sabha elections last week, a group of retired civil service officers has written to Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, urging him not to administer the oath to Hussain.

In their letter, the retired IAS, IPS, and IRS officers stated, “Since the slogan ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ openly shouted inside the precincts of the Legislative House of Karnataka, by the people around the newly elected Member of the Rajya Sabha, the sentiments of the people of Karnataka have severely affected as the newly elected member did not resist such slogans and on the contrary, he has threatened the Representatives of Media around him with objectionable words and rudely shouting at them not to report the incident thereby supporting the open slogans of his supporters.”

“A Suo moto police complaint has been registered by the Vidhana Soudha Police in Crime No.20/2024 and three supporters of Sri Syed Naseer Hussain have been arrested by the Police and their investigation is in progress,” it read.

“Prima facie it is clear that Sri Syed Naseer Hussain is directly involved in this anti-national slogans and liable for prosecution. In these circumstances may we request you not to administer the Oath to the newly elected member of Rajya Sabha Sri Syed Naseer Hussain to act as a Member of our prestigious Upper House of our Parliament till the investigation in case of the anti-national slogans made on the occasion of his electoral victory is judicially settled in accordance with law,” it added.

The three arrested supporters of Hussain have been identified as Ilthaz from Delhi, Munavar from RT Nagar in Bengaluru, and Mohammad Shafi from Byadagi in Haveri.

A court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate granted remanded the accused to two-day police custody. They will be produced before the court again on March 6.

Supporters Syed Nasir Hussain allegedly shouted pro-Pakistan slogans in the corridors of “Vidhana Soudha” after his victory in the Rajya Sabha elections. This incident triggered a political slugfest between the ruling Congress and BJP.

The Congress government, headed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, ordered an investigation by a government-run FSL to check the veracity of the allegations. The BJP posted on its social media handle the investigation report, prepared by Clue4 Evidence Forensic Investigations Pvt Ltd and signed by audio forensic examiner Phaneendar B N on behalf of city-based ‘Samvada Foundation’.