Faizal, a youth from Madhya Pradesh, who was arrested for raising anti-national slogans, on Tuesday, on the orders of the court, saluted the tricolor 21 times and raised slogans of Bharat Mata ki Jai. Following the order of the High Court, Faizal raised slogans of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ 21 times in the Bhopal police station. He also expressed remorse for raising slogans of ‘Pakistan Zindabad and India Murdabad’. He said that he had used that slogan by mistake while making the reel.
Jabalpur bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court, while granting bail to Faizal, had imposed a condition that he would have to salute the tricolor at Misrod police station in Bhopal twice a month. Till the matter is settled, he has to salute the tricolor and raise the slogan ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ on every first and fourth Tuesday of the month. Following the court order, Faizal has started it.
Justice DK Paliwal, in the order on October 15, said that the accused can be released on bail by imposing certain conditions, which inculcate in him a sense of responsibility and pride towards the country where he was born and lives. The court said, ‘He is openly raising slogans against the country in which he was born and brought up.’
The accused Faizal alias Faizan was arrested in May at Bhopal’s Misrod police station after an FIR was lodged under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 153B (statements prejudicial to national integration). It is alleged that Faizan had raised slogans in support of Pakistan and against India. The prosecution argued in the High Court that his actions amounted to promoting enmity between different groups and was dangerous to harmony and national unity. The defense lawyer argued that his client had been falsely implicated. The state government counsel opposed the bail, saying the applicant was a habitual offender and had 14 criminal cases registered against him.
