‘First They Backed Tukde Tukde Gang And Now…’ Anurag Thakur Hits Out At Congress Over Pro-Pak Slogan Row

Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Tuesday launched a verbal assault on Congress, asking why the party “hide” individuals who chanted pro-Pakistan chants on Karnataka assembly grounds following Syed Naseer Hussain’s election to the Rajya Sabha, news agency ANI reported. Thakur questioned the Congress leadership for allowing the persons who raised pro-pakistan slogans in the assembly after forensic investigation established the video’s veracity. He asked: “Who were the people who came to the Assembly after Naseer Hussain won? Did they not come there with the permission of the MLAs?”

Questioning about the people who allegedly raised pro-pakistan slogans, senior BJP leader stated: “Who were they? Congress denied this and said that nothing of this sort had happened. First, something wrong is done and then it is hidden. When BJP pressed them and forensic report came, it came to be known that “Pakistan Zindabad” slogans were indeed raised.”

#WATCH | Union Minister Anurag Thakur says, “Congress ka haath, desh-virodhi taakaton ke saath ek baar phir nazar aaya hai. When Rajya Sabha elections are held in Karnataka and a Congress candidate wins, slogans of “Pakistan Zindabad” are raised. Who were they? Congress denied… pic.twitter.com/p8apbHACdi

— ANI (@ANI) March 5, 2024

“Had BJP not demanded a forensics report, the truth would not have come out before the people,” he further stated. 

Slamming Congress, he stated: “This is not the first time. They first sided with the ‘tukde tukde’ gang…Now, the people from ‘tukde tukde’ gang are being made to join Congress…Bomb blast occurred in Bengaluru. Where is this going? Who is being protected?”

Demanding response from Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi, Thakur said: “They should answer. Were the “Pakistan Zindabad” slogans acceptable to them? Were the slogans raised deliberately?”

All 3 Accused Are Congress Workers: Report

The Karnataka Police were questioning the three accused, all Congress workers, who had been detained for chanting pro-Pakistan chants on the Assembly grounds, according to the sources, news agency IANS reported. One of them planned to run for Lok Sabha.

According to police sources, one of the offenders screamed ‘Pakistan’ while the other two hoisted ‘Zindabad’ chants. In the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report, audio and video evidence were matched with voice samples from accused individuals.

The accused, Mohammad Nashipudi, a wealthy chilli dealer from Byadagi, was hoping to run for the Lok Sabha seat from Haveri. Munnawar Ahmad is a local Congress worker from Bengaluru’s Jayamahal neighbourhood. These accused were unfamiliar with Mohammad Iltaz, a resident of New Delhi’s Kishanganj neighborhood.

The Judge of the 39th ACMM court handed over the accused to police custody till March 6.

Vidhana Soudha police were extracting data from the accused’s social media accounts, including WhatsApp, Telegram, and others. The accused’s mobile phones have been submitted to the FSL for additional examination. According to sources, the police questioned 40 people in connection with the case and took voice samples from more than 15 of them.

The accused shouted ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ chants during Rajya Sabha member Syed Naseer Hussain’s victory celebration in the state assembly on February 27, following the announcement of the results.