Yati Narsinghanand detained in Ghaziabad after FIR over alleged hate speech against Prophet Muhammad
Ghaziabad: Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati, the mahant of Dasna Devi Temple and a controversial Hindu seer, has been detained by the police in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, following a First Information Report (FIR) filed against him for allegedly delivering a blasphemous speech against Prophet Muhammad. The FIR was registered on Thursday, based on a complaint by a police officer from the Sihani Gate police station.
According to the complaint, the seer made inflammatory remarks during an event at Hindi Bhavan in Lohia Nagar, Ghaziabad, on September 29. The police took action after a video of the alleged speech went viral on social media. The FIR has been lodged under s. 302 of the Indian Penal Code for hurting the religious sentiments of the Muslim community.
Following the incident, protests erupted at various places in Ghaziabad and other parts of Western Uttar Pradesh on Friday night. Members of the Muslim community demanded strict action against Narsinghanand. The Uttarakhand unit of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) also called for stringent measures against the seer, with its state president, Nayyer Kazmi, accusing the authorities of shielding him due to political favoritism.
This is not the first time Narsinghanand has come under scrutiny for his controversial statements. He was previously arrested in 2022 for making hate speeches and, in December 2021, urged Hindus to arm themselves during a gathering at the 'Dharm Sansad' in Haridwar.
The police have stated that further action will be taken after a detailed examination of the viral video.
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Chandrashekhar Swamiji apologises for remark on denying voting rights to Muslims
"If my statement has upset our Muslim brothers, I deeply regret it."
Bengaluru: Kumara Chandrashekharanath Swamiji, head of the Vishva Okkaliga Mahasansthana Mutt, has expressed regret over his controversial statement suggesting that "Muslims should be denied voting rights."
In a press release, Swamiji clarified, "Muslims are also citizens of this country. Like everyone else, they too have voting rights. If my statement yesterday has caused discomfort to our Muslim brothers, I sincerely apologise for it."
He further added, "Okkaligas are inherently tolerant of all religions. We have always treated people of every faith equally. Our Mutt maintains cordial relations with Muslims, and they frequently visit us. Similarly, we attend their weddings and other joyous occasions. Hence, there is no intolerance towards this community." Swamiji appealed to the public to disregard the controversy surrounding his remark.
The controversial statement was made during a farmers' rally, ‘Raita Gharjana,’ organised by the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, Karnataka Pradesh, at Freedom Park, Bengaluru, on Tuesday. Addressing the gathering, Swamiji had said, "A law should be enacted to deny voting rights to the Muslim community, and the Wakf Board should be abolished."
The remark drew widespread criticism from political leaders and the public alike. Following the backlash, Swamiji issued his apology, stating, "Muslims are also citizens of this country. Like everyone else, they too have voting rights. If my statement yesterday has caused discomfort to our Muslim brothers, I sincerely apologise for it."
