Congress slams BJP for endorsing private lab’s report on alleged pro-Pakistan slogan as police arrest 3 in case

Video clips of the supporters of the recently elected Congress Rajya Sabha member Syed Nasir Hussain soon after the declaration of his victory in the 27 February election had gone viral with the Opposition BJP claiming that ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans were raised.

The government action comes amidst its direction to the state-run Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Koramangala in Bengaluru to investigate the said matter and submit a report.

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The report

The private detective agency situated on Dickenson Road in Bengaluru made a seven-page report on the investigation public on Monday.

The report — electronically signed by Phaneendar BN — was addressed to a city-based NGO named Samvada Foundation which had requested for the analysis.

The report claimed that a 30-second video clip of the sloganeering which was widely shared through WhatsApp was authenticated to be original and non-tampered and was analysed frame-by-frame. It claimed that the audio from the video was also separated and analysed.

The organisation said the video was subjected to analysis by the careful listening of the audio at different intervals, and at different speeds with the help of sophisticated listening equipment and the observations were recorded and put in the report.

The report, electronically signed by Phaneendar BN, concludes with an inference stating: “To the limited extent of the question in this case, being whether if it was ‘Nasir Saab Zindabad’ or ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ the above analysis indicates that it is highly probable to be ‘Pakistan Zindabad.’ Delving deeper into the acoustic analysis indicated that the questioned word pronounced is eliminated to be ending with ‘Saab’ and is identified to be ending with ‘Taan'” while maintaining that the first part of the word was overlapped.

ಸರ್ಕಾರದ ಅಧಿಕೃತ FSL ವರದಿ ಇನ್ನೂ ಬಿಡುಗಡೆಯಗಿಲ್ಲ,

FSL ವರದಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ತಿಳಿಯಬೇಕಾದ ಅಂಶ ವಿಡಿಯೋ ಅಸಲಿಯೋ ನಕಲಿಯೋ ಎನ್ನುವುದಕ್ಕಿಂತ ವಿಡಿಯೋದಲ್ಲಿ ಘೋಷಣೆ ಕೂಗಿದ್ದು ಪಾಕಿಸ್ತಾನ ಅಥವಾ ನಾಸಿರ್ ಸಾಬ್ ಎನ್ನುವುದು.

ಯಾವುದೊ ನಕಲಿ ವರದಿಯನ್ನು ಸೃಷ್ಟಿ ಮಾಡಿದ @BJP4Karnataka ರಾಜ್ಯದ ಜನರನ್ನು ಮೂರ್ಖರನ್ನಾಗಿಸಲು ಹೊರಟಿದೆ.

ಸುಳ್ಳುಗಳ… https://t.co/HIu4x3D1J0

— Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) March 4, 2024

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BJP slams Congress government

In no time, X handles associated with the BJP in Karnataka posted the report with a claim that it “confirmed” the slogans were indeed ‘Pakistan Zindabad.

The saffron party then unleashed an attack on the ruling Congress for “spreading lies” over the alleged incident.

Responding to the report, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said that the government does not consider private laboratory reports.

“The Congress government, headed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, ordered an investigation by a government-run FSL to check the veracity of the allegations,” said Parameshwara.

He further questioned how the BJP could endorse a private laboratory report and also post it on social media handles, misleading the members of the general public.

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Congress files complaint

Meanwhile, the Karnataka Congress, on Monday, filed a complaint with the police against BJP workers for making a private forensic science laboratory report public and claiming that the slogan raised was indeed ‘Pakistan Zindabad’.

Parameshwara sought to know whether the private person who prepared the report had his laboratory to conduct the analysis.

“We will find out who gave the private laboratory the permission to conduct the analysis and from where it obtained the ‘No Objection Certificate’. We will also check whether he (Phaneendar) is authorised to make it public.”

He said the report of the state government’s own FSL would be made public once it’s submitted.

“If the report says that such a slogan was shouted then we will take action immediately. There is no question of hiding it as alleged by the BJP,” Parameshwara said.

,@BJP4Karnataka ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಸಿದ ನಕಲಿ FSL ವರದಿಯ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಗೃಹಸಚಿವರ ಪ್ರತಿಕ್ರಿಯೆ… pic.twitter.com/QkNPJSDNXF

— Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) March 4, 2024

Slamming the Congress for its “lies”, the BJP said the scientific report has revealed that the creators of fake news are the Congressmen who spread lies by distorting the truth.

“Priyank Kharge, the head of the anti-national @INCKarnataka and fake news factory, should at least admit his act of treason and prostrate in front of the Vidhana Sabha and apologize to Kannadigas,” the BJP stated.

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Three people arrested

Meanwhile, the Vidhan Soudha police, on Monday, confirmed that three persons were arrested in connection with the case of alleged pro-Pakistan sloganeering in the Vidhan Soudha on the night of 27 February.

“Based on the FSL report, the evidence collected and also with the inquiries made by the investigating officials, three persons have been arrested and taken into police custody,” a release from Central Police Division’s Vidhan Soudha police stated.

According to police sources, the three persons were picked up by the Ashok Nagar police and were arrested on Monday evening.

Police sources said one of the accused hails from RT Nagar in Bengaluru, the second one from Byadagi in Haveri district and the third accused is from Delhi, reported PTI.

The accused from Byadagi is said to be a chilli merchant.

“The officials will question them in their custody and record their statements. After completing the procedures, they will be produced before a magistrate, police sources told South First.