NC leader Mohammad Akbar Lone raised 'Pakistan zindabad' slogan: Kashmiri pandit NGO to SC

The Central government on Monday expressed displeasure before the Supreme Court and demanded an affidavit from National Conference leader Mohammad Akbar Lone, one of the petitioners challenging the abrogation of Article 370, who had allegedly raised ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogan in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly.

At the outset of the hearing in a batch of pleas challenging abrogation of Article 370, an advocate appearing for NGO ‘Roots in Kashmir’, a Kashmiri Pandit group, raised the issue before a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud saying he has filed an affidavit about a "startling fact" which came to his knowledge.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appearing for Centre urged the top court that Lone should file an affidavit asserting that he owed allegiance to the Constitution of India and oppose terrorism and secessionist forces by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir.

“He must come on record. He is the petitioner in the lead petition. He is not an ordinary man. He is a member of Parliament. Despite it being brought to the notice of the court if he does nothing it might encourage others. The efforts of the nation to bring in normalcy which is substantially successful might be affected. Coming from responsible leaders it has its own seriousness,” the Solicitor General said.