Sedition case: Complaint filed against Roy, Geelani

A complaint has been filed in a local court in Bangalore seeking prosecution of writer Arundhati Roy, Hurriyat Leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Delhi University professor S A R Geelani for "sedition, waging war against the Indian state and abatement to anti-national activities."

The complainants have prayed that the court summons the three persons and prosecute them for various offences and direct the Commissioner of Police to investigate the matter under relevant sections.

The complainants, K S Chandrashekar, Shrirangaiah and B J Rohith, accused the trio of making "inciteful" statements at a seminar organised in New Delhi on October 21 by Kashmiri separatists on "Azadi: The only way".

According to the complainants, S A R Geelani, who is the President of Committee for Release of Political Prisoners commenced his speech by inciting the Kashmiri people to demand "azadi" or independence from Indian state.

Later Roy described India as an "upper caste Hindu state waging a continuous struggle against the people" and that Kashmir was never an integral part of India, the complaint said and also quoted her as saying Kashmir needs "azadi" from India as much as India needs "azadi" from Kashmir.

The social activist further stated that bows and arrows in hands of Adivasis and stones in the hands of Kashmiris alone were not enough, the complaint said.

The complaint also quotes Syed Geelani as stating that they have been demanding "azadi" in the face of "naked oppression" and they would continue fighting for it till it is achieved.

The complainants submitted that crime had been committed in "the most deliberate and intentional manner".

Counsel for complainants, Prasanna Deshpande said they wanted the court to take cognisance under sections 121 (waging, or attempting to wage, war or abating waging of war, 121A (conspiracy to commit offences punishable by section 121), 124A (sedition), and other relevant IPC sections.

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