Karnataka HC quashes case against man who shouted ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ at BJP rally ‘by mistake’

The Karnataka High Court has quashed criminal proceedings against a man accused of shouting “Pakistan Zindabad”, or long live Pakistan, at a Bharatiya Janata Party rally in 2022.

In the judgement delivered on October 28, the court took note of the petitioner’s submission that he had mistakenly shouted “Pakistan Zindabad” instead of “Pakistan Murdabad”, or death to Pakistan.

The petitioner had shouted the slogan in the heat of the moment due to a “slip of the tongue”, his lawyer told the court.

The matter pertains to a complaint filed in 2024 in connection with a demonstration organised on December 18, 2022, by supporters of the BJP.

The complainant said that a video of the incident had caused him mental distress and prompted him to seek police action.

The Mandya Police registered a case under the Indian Penal Code sections pertaining to public mischief and assertions prejudicial to national integration.

The accused subsequently moved the High Court urging it to quash the case.

In his order, Justice V Srishananda said: “At the outset, in a demonstration organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party, it is highly unimaginable that the protesters therein would raise the slogan ‘Pakistan Zindabad’.”

He held that continuing the criminal proceedings against the petitioner would be unnecessary and amount to an abuse of...

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