"Congress directly supporting Pak": Pralhad Joshi condemns alleged pro-Pakistan sloganeering in Karnataka's Vidhana Soudha

New Delhi [India], February 28 : Union Minister Pralhad Joshi strongly condemned the alleged pro-Pakistan slogans raised by the supporters of Congress leader Syed Nasir Hussain in the Vidhana Soudha after he was elected as the Rajya Sabha member.
Joshi alleged that the grand old party was directly "supporting" Pakistan.
Reacting to the incident that took place on Tuesday, Pralhad Joshi spoke in a video message said, "Today, after the victory of Nasir Hussain in the Rajya Sabha election from the Congress party, in the Vidhana Soudha itself, which is the most sacred building of the democracy of Karnataka, pro-Pakistani, 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans have been raised by the Congress party workers."
Joshi also took a hit at Rajya Sabha member Nasir Hussain, alleging that he was trying to mislead people about the incident.
"Instead of condemning this, Nasir Hussain is trying to mislead and say that someone is spreading false information or news, which is more dangerous. The Congress is now directly supporting Pakistan. I strongly condemn this, and I ask Rahul Gandhi and Maliikarjun Kharge what their take on this is," Joshi asserrte
"Mr Nasir Hussain is the 'sheesha' (mirror) of Mr Kharge. Let Congress clarify, let them condemn this. I have asked the Karnataka Home Minister to take a serious note of this and take stringent action on the incident," added Pralhad Joshi in the video message.
BJP State President Vijayendra Yediyurappa also took to his social media handle to condemn the incident and said it was highly blasphemous of Congress supporters to have openly raised "Pakistan Zindabad" slogans within the sanctum sanctorum of the Temple of Democracy in Karnataka.
"Highly Blasphemous of Congress supporters to have openly raised "Pakistan Zindabad" slogans within the sanctum sanctorum of the Temple of Democracy, Vidhana Soudha. One can only imagine the type of venomous elements they might be harbouring against the interests of the nation," his post read.
"These anti-India slogans by Congress supporters celebrating Naseer Hussain's Rajya Sabha victory raise serious questions about their intentions and loyalties. Congress shouldn't display any kind of sympathy towards this brazen anti-national act and arrest these Pakistani-backed supporters and book them under sedition charges, failing which it sends a message to Karnataka and the rest of India that @INCKarnataka endorses this venomous ideology of Break India Forces!," it read further.
"Congress & its entire leadership have caused massive disrespect to Vidhana Soudha and the state of Karnataka. This will never be forgotten or forgiven," added the Karnataka BJP chief's post.
Earlier in the day, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unit in Karnataka filed an FIR at the Vidhana Soudha Police Station, alleging that pro-Pakistan slogans were raised by Rajya Sabha member Syed Nasir Hussain supporters on Tuesday.
As per the complaint filed by the Karnataka BJP, it was alleged that after the returning officer declared that Hussain was elected to the Rajya Sabha, at around 7 pm, his supporters, who had gathered at the premises of the Vidhana Soudha "at the instance of Hussain, suddenly shouted 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans in a loud manner while cheering for Hussain."
Senior BJP leaders, including Leader of Opposition R Ashoka, Araga Jnanendra and others, staged a protest in front of the Vidhana Soudha police station on Tuesday evening after supporters of Congress' Syed Nasir Hussain, who was elected to the Rajya Sabha, allegedly raised pro-Pakistan slogans.
BJP leaders demanded the dismissal of the Congress-led state government and said that a state-wide campaign would be launched.
A purported video of the incident went viral on social media.
Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha member Syed Nasir Hussain took to his social media handle and posted a video in 'clarification' of the said incident, wherein he denied any slogan-raising in his presence and said that a proper investigation would be conducted and stringent action would be taken against the accused in the matter.
"Today, as some of our party supporters and workers and some people were celebrating the victory of three candidates, I was there in the midst of them, and then lots of slogans like 'Nasir Hussain Zindabad', 'Nasir Khan Zindabad', 'Nasir Sahab Zindabad', and 'Congress Party Zindabad' were being raised by some of the workers," he said.
"Then, all of a sudden, as I was leaving for my house, I got called by the media saying that somebody had raised slogans of 'Pakistan Zindabad'. I would like to say here that when I was there in the midst of the people, a lot of slogans were being raised, but I never heard the slogan 'Pakistan Zindabad', but whatever it is, we have asked the police and let the police investigate it," he said further.
Adding further, Hussain said, "If someone has raised such a type of slogan, then he has to be dealt with sternly and strictly according to the law. There should be an inquiry. And in case someone has morphed or doctored the video and played mischief, even that has to be inquired about. And if somebody has given the slogan, there should be a proper inquiry into who the person is, where he came from, how the person entered the premises, and what was his motive or intention behind raising those slogans. Should be investigated."
"However, as far as I am concerned, when I was there, there were no such slogans that were raised, because if the slogans had been raised in our presence, then I am sure no sane person or an Indian citizen would have tolerated it. So let us wait for the inquiry, and whatever comes forward, we will be there in the public domain. Thank you so much," added the RS member in the video.