Sitapur: A video of a saffron-clad seer delivering a hate speech against Muslims and inciting sexual violence against Muslim women, issuing rape threats, surfaced on social media on Thursday.
The two-minute video containing the hate speech is said to have been recorded on April 2 when the seer identified as Bajrang Muni Das, the mahant of Maharshi Shri Lakshman Das Udasin Ashram in Khairabad town, was taking out a procession on the occasion of Navratri and Hindu New Year.
Bajrang Das Muni can be heard saying in the video that if any Hindu girl is teased by a man belonging to the Muslim community, then he will brazenly rape Muslim women.
“I am explaining this to you with a lot of love. If you tease (pursue) a Hindu girl then I will “If any Muslim guy pursues Hindu ladies, I will abduct and brazenly rape Muslim women in public,” threatens the seer, in the presence of police personnel.
The seer also made more objectionable comments on women and Muslims amidst people shouting slogans of “Jai Shree Ram“.
The spiteful seer delivered his speech when the procession reached near Sheshe wali Masjid, in Sitrapur’s Khairabad, as the crowd cheered him on with applause, shouting “Jai Shree Ram“.
A man in a police uniform can also be seen in the backdrop of the 41-second film.
After a journalist published the footage on Twitter and tagged the Uttar Pradesh police, a probe was launched under Additional Superintendent of Police North Rajiv Dikshit.
Legal action will be ensured as per rules on the basis of the facts and evidence that surface in the probe, police said.
The seer went on to claim that a conspiracy to assassinate him had been planned and that a Rs 28 lakh bounty was placed on his head.
(This story has been edited with inputs from PTI)
