Jharkhand: Mukhia candidate booked for raising ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogan while filing panchayat poll nomination

‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans were raised in Jharkhand’s Giridih district during a procession of nomination filing for Panchayat election under Gandey PS area. A video of the entire incident from 20 April has gone viral, prompting police action against those involved. “A video went viral in which a pro-Pakistan slogan was raised (Pakistan Zindabad) during a procession of nomination filing for Panchayat election under Gandey PS area. The incident took place yesterday,” Giridih Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Anil Kumar Singh said. Mukhiya candidate Mohammad Shakir Hussain, the panchayat poll candidate from Dokodih panchayat, and a couple of his supporters were arrested in the matter as it was his procession during which the pro-Pakistan slogans had been raised. According to police, his supporters were sloganeering in his support near the block office gate. Giridih police have booked Shakir and his two supporters, Asif and Sohaib on charges of spreading hatred in the society and violating the model code of conduct, Singh added. The three will be sent to jail on Thursday after completing some procedures such as the COVID test, he said. So far, total of 10 people have been named in the FIR in connection with the viral video in which a pro-Pakistan slogan was raised. The SDPO said further investigation in the matter was underway. The process for filing nomination papers for the first phase of the panchayat election in Jharkhand began in 72 blocks of 21 districts of the state from April 16. As many as 1,127 panchayats will go to the poll in the first phase on May 14 and counting will take place on May 17. Altogether 6,267 candidates have so far filed nomination papers for the first round for the post of mukhiyas and members of the panchayat samiti, zila parishad and gram panchayat members. The nomination for the first round will conclude on April 23. On Wednesday the process for the second phase of polls started in 50 blocks under 16 districts. A total of 872 panchayats will go to the polls in the second phase on May 19 to elect 103 zila parishad members, 1,059 panchayat samiti members, 872 mukhiyas and 10,614 panchayat members, officials said. The Jharkhand State Election Commission on April 9 announced the four-phase rural poll in the state between May 14 and May 27. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.