KOCHI: Coming down heavily on the provocative slogans raised by a boy during a rally organised by the Popular Front of India (PFI) in Alappuzha, Kerala High Court on Friday orally observed "what is happening in this country?"
Justice PV Kunhikrishnan held that if a member of the rally raised provocative slogans, the persons who organised the rally were also responsible. The police officers will do the needful by the law against all persons who are responsible for this. The court issued the order on the petition filed by R Ramaraja Varma, former professor of SD College, Alappuzha against the rally.
In the viral video, a boy is seen raising the slogan sitting on the shoulder of a man that “Hindus should keep rice for their last rites and Christians should keep incense for their last rites. If you live decently, you can live in our land and if you don’t live decently, we know Azadi (freedom). Live decently, decently, decently.”
When the case came up for hearing the court asked, did the child raise the provocative slogan sitting on the shoulder of a man during this rally? "Can people in the country shout anything? You (police) take action. They should be booked. What is this? What is happening in this country? Hope the police will do the needful. Did the police arrest the responsible persons?" asked the court.
On May 27, the court directed the Alappuzha district police chief to see that there was no law and order problem. The rally was held in Alappuzha on May 21.
The government pleader filed a report of DySP Alappuzha and it stated that two separate cases have been registered by the Alappuzha police against the PFI and Bajrangdal workers in connection with the rally. Further, a case has been registered for raising provocative slogans.
The court recorded the submission and closed the petition. Sreekumar Chelur, counsel for the petitioner pointed out that a tense situation is still prevailing in the district following the recent killing of RSS workers in which workers of Popular Front of India (PFI) and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) were involved.
Though the district is still volatile for further attacks, the state police have not taken effective steps to curtail the same.
The recent attacks and the subsequent inflammatory speeches will reveal that the entire district of the Alappuzha is still volatile to communal clashes.
The petition had also stated that as per Section 5 (3) of the Kerala Public Ways (Restriction of Assemblies and Processions) Act, 2011 any person, association, organization, trust, or body that requires the use of any portion of any public way for any procession, should apply to the District Police Chief.
As per the Act, the police are duty-bound to publish a notice. But the police have not published a notice about this rally.