Amnesty row: Jaitley says Cong indulging in vote bank politics

Jammu, Aug 21 (PTI) In a clear reference to the AmnestyInternational row, union minister Arun Jaitley today assertedthat ‘Azadi’ slogans cannot be treated as freedom of speechand slammed Congress and its Karnataka government, accusingthem of indulging in vote bank politics over the issue. "Four days ago, in the capital of Karnataka, during aprogramme in Bangalore, ‘Azadi’ (freedom) slogans were raisedby a few people. An organization, which gets funding fromabroad, organized the event and yesterday I read the statementof Karnataka Home Minister in which he said that whateverhappened is nothing wrong," Jaitley said. "After so many sacrifices this country has made, somepolitical parties do it for vote bank politics,” he added at arally on the outskirts of Jammu city. While talking about this matter, the Finance Ministerrecalled a similar incident in JNU in January and said raisingslogans to advocate the disintegration of the country cannotbe seen as freedom of speech as advocated by some. "When in Delhi, inside JNU, slogans for disintegration ofIndia were raised, we were the only party within and outsideParliament to say that it was wrong. It is not freedom ofspeech.., he said. He said Congress and its vice president Rahul Gandhi hadextended support to the youth who had raised anti-Indiaslogans then. "Many political parties and Congress vice president wentto the support of those youth (who raised the slogans) at JNU.This ideology for the vote bank politics is unfortunate,” hesaid. PTI TSS AB AKKAKK