Sedition Case Against School After Anti-CAA Drama In Karnataka's Bidar

A case of sedition has been filed against a school in Karnataka's Bidar district after students performed a play criticising the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). According to the complaint filed by one Nilesh Rakshyal, who identifies himself as a social worker, the play was against the CAA and NCR and portrayed Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a bad light.

The school play was performed on Sunday but the case was registered a day later after the video of the act went viral on social media. Following the sedition case, the police allegedly harassed students of class 4 and 5. The CEO of the school alleged that the police was mentally harassing the students and teachers in the name of investigating.

"Yesterday, they sealed the control room… Today they have started interrogating the students of Classes 4 and 5. It was staged by five to six students in which they took a jibe at PM Modi. Someone made a video and shared on social media. They are accusing us of spreading communal violence and hatred which will create disturbance in society," the CEO of the school told news website The Quint.

The school play allegedly endorsed the anti-CAA and anti-NRC idea that people of a particular community will be forced to leave their own motherland if the amended citizenship law and the NRC were implemented. After the video of the play went viral, the school became the target of right-wingers and BJP’s student wing ABVP staged protest against the educational institute, the Scroll.in reported.

Meanwhile, the school principal has also been booked under Sections 124A (sedition), 153A (promoting communal hatred), 504 (provoking breach of peace), 505(2) (statements promoting enmity) and 34 (act done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the IPC. The police have also sealed the school.