Private forensic lab report on ”pro-Pak slogan” issue kicks up row in Karnataka

PTI, Mar 4, 2024, 1:37 PM IST

The BJP in Karnataka on Monday cited an investigation report of a private forensic science laboratory which indicated that ”Pakistan zindabad” slogan was shouted after the victory of a Congress candidate in the February 27 Rajya Sabha elections here, and attacked the ruling Congress for ”spreading lies” over the alleged incident.

Responding to it, Home Minister G Parameshwara said the government does not take private reports into consideration.

Supporters Syed Naseer Hussain allegedly shouted pro-Pakistan slogans in the corridors of ”Vidhana Soudha” after his victory in the Rajya Sabha elections, an incident which triggered a political slugfest between the ruling Congress and BJP.

The Congress government, headed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, ordered an investigation by a government-run FSL to check the veracity of the allegations. The BJP posted on its social media handle the investigation report, prepared by Clue4 Evidence Forensic Investigations Pvt Ltd and signed by audio forensic examiner Phaneendar B N on behalf of city based ‘Samvada Foundation’.

In his opinion, Phaneendar said the examined video of the incident is ”not tampered/ doctored in between and is a result of single capture.” The inference drawn by him is: ”To the limited extent of the question in this case, being whether it was Nasir Saab Zindabad’ or ‘Pakistan Zindabad’, the above analysis indicates that it is highly probable to be ‘Pakistan Zindabad’.” Parameshwara sought to know whether the private person who prepared the report had his own laboratory and done analysis.

”We will find out with whose permission he has done it, who gave him ‘No Objection Certificate’ and is he authorised to make such reports public,” he said.

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,” 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 apologise to Kannadigas,” the party said.