Karnataka High Court grants bail to woman arrested for raising ‘Jai Bangla’ slogan

Bengaluru: A West Bengal woman, arrested for yelling ‘Jai Bangla’ when asked to say ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’, has been granted bail by the Karnataka High Court.

The Hebbagodi police arrested Sarbanu Khatun, a housemaid, in January under BNS sections 152, 196, 197(1), and 353(1).

On January 11, a special drive was taken up to detain suspected Bangladeshi nationals residing in sheds and slums allegedly on government land in Hulimangala within the Hebbagodi police limits.

The complaint, filed by a police officer from the Hebbagodi police station, was based on a video circulating on social media. In the video, a person recording the eviction drive stopped the petitioner and asked her to raise the slogan ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’.

The petitioner, Sarbanu Khatun, submitted that she had no intention to hurt the sentiments of Indians and that she was provoked to shout the slogan ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’. It was also submitted that after shouting ‘Jai Bangla’, she walked a few steps and shouted ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ thrice.

The state submitted that the petitioner, being an Indian, had hurt the sentiments of Indians by raising the slogan ‘Jai Bangla’.

After perusing the material, Justice S Rachaiah noted that a person had instigated the petitioner to raise the slogan.

“However, she called out 'Jai Bangla' and thereafter, again, she shouted the slogan 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' thrice. Having considered the facts and circumstances of the case and the fact that she has two minor children and she has to take care of them, it is appropriate to grant her bail by imposing suitable conditions that would take care of the apprehension of the prosecution,” the court said.

The court ordered her release on bail subject to executing a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh and appearing before the trial court on all dates.