MP man to chant 'Bharat mata ki jai' for bail after 'Pak zindabad' slogan

The bail conditions require the accused to stand before the tricolour displayed at the station, salute it 21 times, and chant 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' as part of his routine

A man accused of shouting ‘Pakistan zindabad’ was granted bail by the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Tuesday, with a unique set of conditions attached. Faizal, the accused, has been instructed to salute the national flag at a local police station 21 times and raise the slogan ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ twice a month until the conclusion of his trial, reported NDTV.

Justice Dinesh Kumar Paliwal, while granting bail, imposed these conditions, stating that Faizal must report to Misrod Police Station in Bhopal on the first and fourth Tuesday of every month. The bail conditions require Faizal to stand before the tricolour displayed at the station, salute it 21 times, and chant ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ as part of his routine.

“I am of the view that the applicant [Faizal] may be released on bail by imposing some conditions that may instil in him a sense of responsibility and pride for the country in which he is born and living,” Justice Paliwal said in his order.

The state government’s counsel opposed the bail, arguing that Faizal was a ‘habitual offender’ with 14 criminal cases already registered against him. The counsel further accused Faizal of attempting to incite enmity between communities by shouting slogans of ‘Pakistan zindabad’ and ‘Hindustan murdabad’.

“He is openly shouting slogans against the country where he was born and raised. If he is not happy or satisfied here, he may choose to live in the country he hailed in his slogans,” the counsel argued.

Faizal’s arrest in May followed the circulation of a video showing him chanting pro-Pakistan and anti-India slogans. Under the terms of his bail, he is required to appear at the police station between 10 am and 12 pm on the designated days.