Six Bajrang Dal activists detained for pasting Pakistan flag stickers condemning terror
The act, initially attributed to miscreants, was later claimed by members of the Bajrang Dal, a Hindu nationalist organisation, as a protest against the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
Six activists associated with the group were detained by the police for questioning in connection with the incident.
The discovery of Pakistan flag stickers on the streets of Kalaburagi caused a brief wave of confusion and unease among residents on Friday morning.
Local authorities were quick to respond as reports of the stickers surfaced with fears that the act could escalate communal tensions in the city.
However, the situation was clarified when members of the Bajrang Dal openly claimed responsibility, stating that the stickers were part of a protest against the recent terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives.
The Bajrang Dal activists stated that they intended to express outrage against Pakistan, which they hold responsible for sponsoring terrorism in India, particularly in light of the Pahalgam attack.
The act of pasting Pakistan flag stickers on roads symbolised their condemnation, with vehicles passing over the stickers as a gesture of defiance. However, the provocative nature of the protest drew sharp criticism for its potential to incite communal discord.
Police Commissioner S.D. Sharnappa, addressing the media, confirmed that the stickers were pasted without prior permission for any protest.
'Condemning the recent terror strike at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, different groups staged demonstrations, took out candlelight marches and expressed their condemnation through other forms of agitations. This morning, we found the images of the Pakistan flag pasted on the roads. Initially, it caused some confusion. Local police immediately started an investigation and found that Bajrang Dal activists had pasted the images of the Pakistan flag as a mark of protest to condemn the Pahalgam terror strike. The local police have detained six Bajrang Dal activists for questioning. The initial confusion was caused as the Bajrang Dal activists had not taken prior permission for such a protest,' the Police Commissioner told the media later in the day.
The police emphasised that such actions, especially those involving symbols of a foreign nation, can disrupt peace and harmony in the city. The detained activists are being investigated for their motives and the potential impact of their actions on public order.
Bajrang Dal's action in Kalaburagi was framed as a response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which has sparked widespread outrage across India. The attack, described as the deadliest in Jammu and Kashmir since the 2019 Pulwama strike, prompted protests and bandhs in several cities across the country. However, the method chosen by the Bajrang Dal in Kalaburagi has been widely criticised as inflammatory. Posts on X reflected polarised sentiments, with some accusing the group of exploiting the tragedy to stoke communal tensions for political gain, while others supported the protest as a call for justice against terrorism.
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