UP: BJP leader booked for inflammatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad

Tiwari was booked over his statement endorsing Narasinghanand’s provocative assertion that the Prophet of Islam should be compared to Ravan.

Uttar Pradesh’s Fatehgarh police on Sunday, October 26 filed a First Information Report (FIR) against a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Ankit Tiwari, following his inflammatory remarks supporting far-right priest Yati Narasinghanand.

In a video circulated on social media, Tiwari is heard endorsing Narasinghanand’s provocative assertion that the Prophet of Islam should be compared to Ravan, a character from Hindu mythology, stating that the latter had committed fewer sins than the Prophet Muhammad. Tiwari went further to call for the burning of Muhammad’s effigy during the Dussehra festivals, arguing that “the effigy should be burned on every Dussehra.”

The police action came after a public outcry over Tiwari’s derogatory statements. The FIR was registered for promoting enmity between different groups and making objectionable comments against religious leaders.

Reacting to the viral video, Fatehgarh police wrote on X, “The case has been registered and necessary legal action is being taken”.

Narasinghanand’s remarks on Prophet Muhammad

Earlier last month, UP priest Yati Narasinghanand made derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad. He stated, “If you have to burn effigies on every Dussehra, then burn the effigies of Muhammad.”

Narasinghanand is infamous for delivering controversial speeches. He was previously arrested for giving a hate speech in Haridwar. His remarks typically target Islam and the Prophet Muhammad. However, he has also made statements against former President Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Modi.

Rise of online hate speech in India

In recent years, a disturbing trend has been followed in India. Every other day, statements are made by Hindutva leaders and far-right BJP politicians against Muslims and Islam. This phenomenon appears to be a deliberate strategy to gain media attention and public notoriety.

This is not an isolated incident, it falls in line with the increasing levels of Islamophobia in India. Reports indicate that there has been a sharp rise in hate speech cases, particularly BJP-ruled states being at the forefront of cases of amplified extremism. A study noted that 75 percent of the documented anti-Muslim speech recorded in these regions points towards the mainstreaming of such sentiments within political discourse.

According to the reports, anti-Muslim comments had risen by 43 times on online forums such as YouTube and similar platforms, showcasing how quickly such sentiments can escalate in the digital space.

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