The two words that unleashed a controversy at JNU last month and ignited a nation-wide debate on what it means to be Indian have once again got people talking.
At the World Culture Festival on March 12, Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar spoke about the need for India and Pakistan to develop together. After Pakistani religious leader Mufti Muhammad Saeed Khan spoke, Mr. Shankar thanked him and said: “Jai Hind and Pakistan zindabad should go together.”
Mr. Khan then said “Pakistan zindabad” and handed the microphone over to Mr. Shankar, who responded with a “Jai Hind” to a rapturous answer from the crowd. At JNU, students were accused of raising anti-national slogans, including “Pakistan zindabad”, during an event organised on February 9.
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Some students, including JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar, were arrested on charges of sedition. Though Mr. Kumar was granted bail on March 2 after being arrested on February 12, two other students — Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya —are currently in judicial custody.
Even as JNU gets back to regular life, the spiritual leader’s remark has got some lawyers interested.
Lawyer Bajinder Singh, who represented Mr. Kumar, said: “We have been saying this all along. Even if ‘Pakistan zindabad’ was said (at JNU), it is not a statement covered under sedition. We have no issue with what Mr. Shankar has said.”
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While Mr. Singh said that there was no problem in saying “zindabad” for any country, the word “murdabad” should not be used.
Senior lawyer Rebecca John added that with the situation the “hypocrisy of the government was exposed”.
Students were arrested for allegedly making the same statement that Mr. Shankar made in the presence of senior BJP leaders, including the Chhatisgarh and Madhya Pradesh chief ministers, Raman Singh and Shivraj Singh Chouhan, said Ms. John.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh also attended the event later the same day.
“When one dispensation says it, it is anti-national, but when the other says it, it is not. This shows the hypocrisy,” she added.
She said: “It is possible to be a proud citizen of my country and not have ill will for my neighbhour. What the Art of Living leader said actually reinforced the spirit of JNU.”
Rama Naga, JNUSU general secretary, said: “If JNU students have been arrested, then there should be action against Mr. Shankar. This only adds to our argument that the slogans were just an excuse, the real reason behind the actions against students was politics,” said Mr. Naga.
No representative from the Art of Living Foundation was available to comment on the issue.
Lawyers ask why JNU students were prosecuted for saying ‘Pakistan zindabad’