Bengaluru: As Rajya Sabha Election 2024 results started pouring in late Tuesday evening, supporters of Syed Naseer Hussain were heard chanting ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans inside the Vidhana Soudha complex in Karnataka, to mark Hussain's victory celebrations. The ruling Congress in Karnataka won three seats while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured one seat in the recently-concluded Rajya Sabha elections. Congress leaders Ajay Maken, GC Chandrasekhar and Syed Naseer Hussain are among those elected to the Upper House of Parliament, along with BJP's Narayansa K Bhandage.

Meanwhile, in late night protests, members of the BJP Yuva Morcha gheraoed the Congress office in Bengaluru. Terming the Congress leaders “traitors”, the BJP workers stormed inside the Congress Party's office in the state capital, calling for the arrest of Naseer Hussain. The BJP workers have also filed a complaint against Nasir Hussain and his supporters for making seditious statements and raising anti-national slogans. A copy of the complaint has been sent to the Vidhana Soudha police station, Republic has learnt.

Bommai Demands Immediate Action Against Congress

Taking to social media platform ‘X’, Former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai wrote in a post, “Congress candidate Syed Nasir Hussain's supporters shouted 'Pakistan Zindabad' during his victory in the Rajya Sabha elections. This shows that the Pakistan supporters of the Karnataka Congress have the help and support. Even during his victory in the assembly elections, he raised 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans in Belagavi and hoisted the Pakistani flag”.

“It is a matter of concern that anti-nationals have been given space in the Assembly and the government has not taken any action even though the matter is very serious. I urge the government to immediately arrest the culprits and take strict action” - Basavaraj S Bommai on Syed Nasir Hussain

Cong’s Obsession With Pakistan Dangerous, Amit Malviya Says

Underlining that the Congress Party’s “obsession with Pakistan is dangerous”, BJP's Information and Technology Department in-charge Amit Malviya said in a post on 'X', "It is taking India towards balkanisation", and that "we can’t afford it".

‘Wasn’t Enough to Loot India for 65 Years, True Colours Ultimately Reveal'

“Biting the hand that feeds them” is in the nature of “the Congress Kingdom”, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi wrote on 'X'. "[The] Congress is not a party, but a family with many foot soldiers to further their agenda of looting the nation and amassing wealth", said in the post. 

“It wasn’t enough to loot India for 65 years, true colours ultimately reveal and now we are getting to see Congress’s true loyalty. What else does it mean when a Congress members says Pakistan Zindabad?? The patriots of India are well aware of where Congress’ true loyalties lie and will give them a befitting reply soon…”, Joshi's post read.

Dr Syed Naseer Hussain issues clarification

Responding to the complaint filed by the Karnataka BJP alleging that the supporters of Dr Syed Naseer Hussain raised Pro-Pakistan slogans at ‘Vidhana Soudha’, Congress’ newly-elected Rajya Sabha MP Dr Syed Naseer Hussain issued a clarification.

Hussain said, "Today, some of our workers, supporters and some other people were celebrating the victory of 3 candidates. I was there in the midst of them, and then lots of slogans like ‘Naseer Hussain Zindabad’, ‘Congress Party Zindabad’ and all were being raised by some of the workers. Then all of a sudden, when I was leaving, I got calls from the media saying that somebody had raised pro-Pakistan slogans. I would like to say that when I was there, when I was in the midst of the people, there were lots of slogans that were being shouted there. But I never heard a slogan called ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ there.”

“But whatever it is, we already asked the police and let the police investigate it. If somebody has raised such a kind of a slogan then he has to be dealt with sternly and strictly according to the law. There should be an inquiry. And in case somebody has mocked the video, if somebody has doctored the video and played mischief, then even that has to be inquired,” he said.

“If somebody has given the slogan who are they? From where did he come and how did they enter the premises there? What was their intention and motive for shouting the slogan should also be seen. But as far as I am concerned, when I was there, no slogan was shouted there. So let us wait for the inquiry and whatever comes out will be there in the public domain," the Congress leader said. 

Elections Marred by Cross-Voting

Five candidates, including JDS contestant D Kupendra Reddy, were in the fray for the four seats in the elections that were reportedly marred by cross-voting. While one of the BJP MLAs, ST Somashekar voted for the Congress Party's Maken, the other – A Shivaram Hebbar – abstained.

The BJP said it was exploring the possibility of initiating a legal action against them and lodging a complaint with Speaker UT Khader, seeking their disqualification from the assembly for violating the whip issued to them to vote in favour of the party candidate, news agency PTI reported. "We have got the information that Somashekar has done cross-voting. I consulted with advocate Vivek Reddy who is our state legal cell president and a high court lawyer. We will ask the Speaker to initiate action (of disqualification) against him [Somashekar] and explore the possibilities to take steps in accordance with the law," Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly R Ashoka reportedly said.

Somashekar had earlier quit the Congress to join the BJP. He served as a minister in the previous BJP government and was made the Mysuru district in-charge minister at the time.

The BJP with 66 MLAs and the JDS with 19 MLAs combined had fielded Kupendra Reddy though they did not have the requisite votes to get him elected. The NDA partners said they were expecting "conscience votes", apparently from the rival Congress camp, in favour of Reddy. The Congress has 134 members in the assembly. There are also four others members, including two independents.
 

(With inputs from Republic Kannada and PTI)