The father of student-activist Amulya Leona, who has been booked under sedition charge for raising pro-Pakistan slogans at an anti-CAA event in Bengaluru, is living under intense pressure back in their isolated village near Koppa town in Chikkamagaluru district.
While a group of people allegedly threw stones on their house on Thursday night and also grilled Amulya’s father, Wazi Noronha, and forced him to raise “Bharat mata ki jai” slogans, a series of protests were held across the district against her on Friday. Members of BJP, Vishva Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, Sri Rama Sene, and a few other groups staged protests in Koppa, Chikkamagaluru, and Jayapura demanding strict action.
Mr. Noronha told The Hindu that the group arrived around 8 p.m. near his house at Gubbagudde village. The windowpanes and doors of his house were damaged and he was worried about his safety. He was alone when the incident happened since his wife had left for Bengaluru by then. Three policemen were deployed at his place throughout the night. He alleged that it was an act by BJP supporters. “I have filed the complaint with the police with the names of a few in the group,” he said.
Mr. Noronha owns an areca plantation and a poultry farm. He has been actively involved in environment-related and political activities for several years. He has been a follower of H.G. Govinde Gowda, a Gandhian and former Education Minister. “Later, I joined the BJP and worked for D.N. Jeevaraj and Shobha Karandlaje during their elections. In the 2018 Assembly elections, when Govinde Gowda’s son Venkatesh contested from Sringeri Assembly constituency on the JD(S) ticket, I supported him,” he said.
Mr. Wazi is firm that he is opposed to the statements Amulya made. He said she might have made them without understanding the implications. “We have been telling her not to take part in any protests, but concentrate on studies. But she refused to listen to us. Now she has made a statement that nobody can accept. Let the law takes its course,” he said.
He believes that there should be a probe to find out who prompted her to make such a statement. Mr. Wazi said she had “done a blunder, but deserves a chance to correct herself.”
Amulya is studying B.A. in English Literature, Journalism and Psychology at NMKRV College in Bengaluru.
Superintendent of Police Harish Pandey told The Hindu that five miscreants threw stones at Mr. Wazi’s house. “He was in his estate house at that time. An FIR has been registered based on his complaint,” he said.
