Several protests have erupted across the country in the past few days after a far-right Hindu priest Yati Narsinghanand made inflammatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad. Narsinghanand made the statement during an event in Ghaziabad on September 29 where he was heard inciting his followers to “burn effigies of the Prophet Muhammad” on Dasara instead of Ravana.
The backlash against Narasinghanand’s comments has been significant, with protests erupting in various parts of India. Subsequently, on Friday night, a large crowd night gathered outside the temple demanding strict actions against Narsinghanand. However, the protest turned violent when some people allegedly pelted stones at police personnel near the Dasna Devi temple. Six individuals were apprehended in the case.
Following the public outcry, Narasinghanand infamous for making derogatory statements against Muslims and Islam was booked with multiple FIRs across the country.
SHO of Sihani Gate, Sachin Kumar said, “Yes an FIR has been registered regarding a video which is peddling on social media platforms. Action will be taken only after the video is thoroughly examined.”
However, despite widespread protests and significant public outcry, there have been no official reports of the Hindu seer’s arrest. While some sources indicate he was detained by Uttar Pradesh police, others, including police officials deny any confirmation of his detention.
Amidst the protests with continuous growing demands of arrest, the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) is facing criticism for exacerbating communal tension after its MLAs made provocative statements while expressing their support for Narsinghanand that further inflamed the situation.
‘Taste of Israel‘
In one incident, BJP MLA Shalabh Mani Tripathi on Tuesday, October 8, issued a warning to Muslim protestors, threatening that they would get a “taste of Israel” if they continued their protest and raised “frenzied slogans” in UP. He said that the country is administered under the Indian Constitution given by “Babasaheb” rather than Islamic law, urging restraint from protestors.
“Here, treatment will be given through the constitution of Babasaheb and not the Sharia, and that too a proper one… don’t cry then,” wrote Tripathi on October 6 in a post on X.
‘Encounter protesters’
Another BJP MLA, Nand Kishor, Gurjar suggested that individuals involved in the protests should be charged under the National Security Act (NSA) and proposed that those not apprehended should face police encounters.
He made this statement while speaking to reporters at Dasna Devi temple where Narsinghanand serves as head priest. He further said that these widespread protests against Narsinghanand were a blatant “attack on the Sanatan Dharma”, emphasizing that the police should have been more forceful when handling the protests.
“The police staged a drama of lathi charge at night but the police should have fired 10-20 people and then encountered them openly. This is an attack on the entire Hindutva. If 10-20 people are killed in a night, then there are no people who create such ruckus,” he said.
In response to these provocations, some politicians and leaders of the Muslim community urged peace and emphasised the need to counter hate with wisdom and dignity.
While demanding legal action against Narsinghanand, Bhim Army Chief Chandrashekhar Azad requested the Muslim community to maintain calm and not fall into any of their trap.
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