One more case against controversial priest Narsinghanand over inflammatory remarks
Thane (PTI): The Thane police in Maharashtra have registered an FIR against controversial priest Yati Narsinghanand, who is already facing multiple cases, over his alleged objectionable remarks against Prophet Muhammad, officials said on Sunday.
The seer allegedly made the objectionable remarks during a programme held at Hindi Bhavan in Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) on September 29, as per the police.
Based on complaint by the president of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the Mumbra police in Thane registered a case against him on October 3.
The FIR has been loaged under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 196 (promoting enmity between different groups, and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 197 (imputations and assertions prejudicial to national integration), 299 (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 302 (intentionally uttering words to deliberately wound the religious sentiments of another person), an official from Mumbra police station said.
No arrest has been made in this connection so far, he said.
Police complaints have been filed in several states against Narsinghanand and there have been demands that he be arrested.
An FIR has also been registered against the priest in Maharashtra's Amravati city, which saw violent protests against his remarks outside the Nagpuri Gate police station in which 21 police personnel were injured and 10 police vans were damaged during stone pelting by a mob on Friday night, according to officials.
Narsinghanand's remarks had sparked protests in Ghaziabad district of Uttar Pradesh and other states.
A large crowd gathered outside the Dasna Devi temple in Ghaziabad, where he presides, to protest against him on Friday night after videos of his inflammatory remarks appeared online, following which security was stepped up around the premises.
Narsinghanand has several cases against him, including for allegedly making a hate speech at a conclave in Haridwar (Uttarakhand) in December 2021, and was out on bail.
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind vice president Malik Motasim Khanhas in a release issued on Saturday said they condemn the "blasphemous" remarks by the seer and demanded that he be arrested immediately.
"Muslims must remember that the stature and dignity of Prophet Muhammad cannot be diminished by the vile words of a few ignorant and despicable individuals. We should remain calm in the face of such provocation and should counter these provocations with wisdom, patience, and dignity," he said.
"We urge the community to take meaningful steps to promote the teachings, ethics, and noble qualities of Prophet Muhammad in multiple languages, so that the true message of peace and compassion reaches every corner of the country. Only through such efforts can we hope to build a society rooted in mutual respect and harmony," he added.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
