New Delhi: Delhi Police have registered a case against the organisers of Hindu Mahapanchayat Sabha and several speakers including Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati, priest of Dasna Devi temple and Suresh Chavhanke, Chief Editor of Sudarshan News for their inflammatory speeches during the event in the national capital.
The programme was held on Sunday.
“Some of the speakers, including Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati, Priest of Dasna Devi Temple and Suresh Chauhanke, Chief Editor of Sudarshan News uttered words promoting disharmony, feelings of enmity, hatred or ill will between two communities,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Usha Rangnani said.
Notably, Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati was earlier arrested on January 15, in a similar case, by Uttrakhand Police and sent to 14-day judicial custody. He was later released on bail. Narsinghanand was one of the organisers of the three-day Dharam Sansad in Haridwar where hate speeches were allegedly made against the minority community.
The senior official confirmed that a request letter for seeking permission for organising Hindu Mahapanchayat Sabha was received in North-West District from organiser Preet Singh, president, Save India Foundation. However, the said request was denied on the ground that the organiser had no permission from the land owning agency, i.e., Delhi Development Authority for organising this Sabha at the Burari Ground.
Even as the request was denied, according to police, the said organiser Preet Singh reached the Burari Ground with his supporters in the morning and started organising the Hindu Mahapanchayat Sabha. “700-800 people gathered at the event place and invitees of the organiser started delivering speeches from the stage. Police also reached the place of the event and tried to maintain the order,” Rangnani said.
It was at this time when Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati allegedly started making inflammatory speeches from the podium, exhorting Hindus to take up arms to fight for their existence. Chauhanke said that he is against giving equal rights. “Indian Muslims should get the same rights that Hindus are getting in Pakistan. Nothing more than that,” he said.
Accordingly, the police registered an FIR under sections 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 153 (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) of the Indian Penal Code at the Mukharjee Nagar police station.
Meanwhile, separate cases were also registered on the complaints of journalists who alleged that they were assaulted during the event. The scribes had earlier in the day also alleged that they were detained by the Delhi Police from the venue and taken to Mukherjee Nagar police station. However, DCP Rangnani denied all reports and said the reporters, willingly, on their own free will, to evade the crowd which was getting agitated by their presence, sat in a PCR Van stationed at the venue and opted to proceed to the Police station for security reasons.
The DCP further said two journalists of a news portal, in their complaint, alleged that around 1.30 p.m., when they were rushing towards the exit, they were manhandled and assaulted by a group of people who also tried to snatch their mobile phone and I-Card. Notably, the victim journos denied conducting a medical examination.
In this regard, a case under section 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint), 379 (Punishment for theft), 356 (Assault or criminal force in attempt to commit theft of property carried by a person) and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered at the same police station.
In another complaint, by an independent journalist who had also come to cover the event, the victim stated that when he along with two other journalists were interviewing one person, then some people manhandled and assaulted him. Police intervened and ensured their safety.
After their medical examination, a case was registered under sections 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) and 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint) of the IPC and investigation was taken up.
DCP Rangnani further informed that due legal action is being taken against those who are spreading rumours and misinformation using various platforms, including social media.
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