Amnesty row: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara takes U-turn, denies giving clean-chit

Bengaluru: Two days after Karnataka minister virtually gave a clean chit to Amnesty International, facing sedition charges for its event on Kashmir, the BJP on Monday held a protest in the state and demanded arrest of those who raised anti-India slogans at the event.

Hitting out at Amnesty International for hosting an event where anti-national slogans were allegedly raised in Bengaluru, BJP's student group ABVP called for protest against the city college across the state and sought for action against it. 

Meanwhile, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara, who reportedly had given a clean chit to the college, today denied any such report. 

"Let me make this clear, I've not given them clean chit. I am not a fool to say that they have done nothing and all is well," state Home minister G Parameshwara said on case against Amnesty International India.

On Saturday, Parameshwara said that the NGO did not do anything seditious by holding a discussion in which Kashmiris spoke about alleged excesses by security forces in the valley. 

"I do not believe Amnesty has conducted any seditious activity. Shouting slogans is not anti-national. The programme was organised to instil confidence among Kashmiris facing excesses by security forces," he had said. 

Amnesty International had on Saturday last organised the event as part of a campaign to seek justice for 'victims of human rights violations' in Jammu and Kashmir, which took an ugly turn with heated exchanges and alleged raising of slogans in support of Kashmir’s independence and against the Indian army.

ABVP activists had submitted a CD containing video recording of the event after filing a complaint with police, who registered an FIR against Amnesty International under various penal laws, including those related to sedition.