ICC Champions Trophy Match Leads to Sedition Charges

Whenever a match is played between India and Pakistan it is so interesting that most people don’t miss out on it. The excitement levels amongst people are high enough to last throughout the match. Whether young or elderly, everyone is crazy about India v/s Pakistan. Recently, on 20th June 2017, an ICC Champion Trophy match was played between the two cricketing rivals. Both teams played to win. Nevertheless, India lost by a big margin.

Pakistan scored a record high of 358 runs against India. Pakistan defeated India by 180 runs. Since India has won the ICC Championship twice already, it was hard for people to digest such big defeat. The match had the highest global viewership and sponsorship. The Indian team and supporters were deeply dejected.

When the match was going on some Indian supporters of Pakistani team shouted pro-Pakistan slogans and burst crackers at the result. The Indian police reacted by arresting them. People in the country did not appreciate such support to Pakistan. The police charged them with sedition which is a serious offence under IPC. Sedition is against both federal and state laws and can lead to severe punishments. The arrested were denied bail in Madhya Pradesh, such being the severity of the offence. Those arrested under sedition charges have to surrender their passports and are no longer eligible for government jobs. The law requires such people to appear in courts whenever required.

It is not the first time that Muslim youth as such have been arrested for cheering Pakistani team. In 2014 many students of Meerut University were suspended for similar reasons and were also charged with sedition. Charges of disturbing communal peace were also levelled against them. Such charges are serious enough to carry lifetime sentences. In course of time, such students are to be sent back to university.