BDS Pune Activists Deny Raising Pro-Pak Slogans

Members of Indian People in Solidarity with Palestine (IPSP), a pro-Palestine collective, have strongly denied allegations that they raised "Pakistan Zindabad" slogans during a protest held in Pune on Saturday, May 10, as part of the global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.

- Staff Reporter

In a statement issued on Sunday, the group claimed their peaceful protest in Karve Nagar was disrupted by what they described as a "mob of Sanghis", allegedly led by local BJP leaders Mahesh Pavale and Sagar Dhame.

"We again categorically deny that we raised any 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans, for which there is no evidence," the BDS activists' group said in their statement, while also accusing the Pune Police of siding with the attackers and refusing to register a First Information Report (FIR) despite repeated attempts.

"We categorically deny all the baseless charges being levelled against us by the very goons who attacked our peaceful campaign," the IPSP said, adding, "We also condemn the efforts of Pune Police in protecting them and denying us our fundamental right of even registering an FIR!"