The Alappuzha South Police in Kerala on May 27, Friday, took 24 more people into custody in connection with a case relating to hate slogans raised by a minor during a march organised by the Popular Front of India (PFI) in coastal Alappuzha. The people have been taken into custody from various parts of the state. The police had earlier arrested Anas, a resident of Erattupetta and Navas, a district office bearer of PFI.

The video of a boy sitting on the shoulder of a person during the rally named ‘Save the Republic’ held on May 21 raising hateful slogans has gone viral. The persons taken into custody on Friday are those who reportedly repeated the slogan after the boy. Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court on May 27 ordered the state government to take strong action against those responsible for a ten-year-old child raising provocative slogans at the rally.

Hearing a plea on the issue, the court asked the petitioner if he was referring to the same rally where the boy was seen raising the slogans and when the answer came in affirmative, an angry court said 'what's happening?' and asked strong actions to be taken against the organisers of the rally.

The boy's father has also been identified as a known PFI activist who had participated in the Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests as well. The boy was brought to Alappuzha to take part in the rally by his father and was spotted sitting atop the shoulders of a man called Anzar, and leading the sloganeering. A case has been registered against the organisers of the rally for promoting rivalry and hatred among communities.

The PFI has also attempted to downplay the incident saying that the slogans were against "Hindutva fascists" and not against Hindus or Christians.

With IANS inputs