67 FIRs registered against seer over alleged derogatory remarks against Islam, Prophet Mohammed
Mumbai: The Maharashtra government informed the Bombay High Court that approximately 67 FIRs have been registered statewide against Mahant Ramgiri Maharaj, a Hindu religious leader, because of his alleged derogatory remarks against Islam and Prophet Mohammed at an event in Nashik. They added that the objectionable material containing the alleged derogatory remarks, which was shared online, is being taken down by the cyber crime police.
According to a report in India Today, Maharashtra Advocate General Dr Birendra Saraf made this submission while opposing a petition which sought registration of an FIR against Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for sharing a stage with Ramgiri Maharaj after FIRs were filed against him.
The petition, filed by advocate Mohammad Wasi Sayed and others, alleges a significant increase in communal incidents since 2014, claiming that "systematic Islamophobic customs are protected by the state and Union governments," leading to mob lynchings, riots, and the ostracism of Muslims.
Advocate Ejaz Naqvi, representing the petitioners, argued that instead of taking action against Ramgiri Maharaj, Shinde chose to share a platform with him, asserting that saints would be protected in the state.
However, Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Prithviraj Chavan noted that petitions regarding the removal of the seer's videos and the registration of FIRs for alleged hate speech are already being heard.
Regarding hate speech, the bench remarked that while they cannot prevent individuals from giving speeches, the police are taking necessary action and registering FIRs.
"Just because they (Eknath Shinde and Ramgiri) are sharing a stage, it does not mean that FIR should be registered. You have to show malafides. If there is a breach, there are FIRs being registered. You (Naqvi) are making the issue political. When you digress from the core issue, then this is what happens. Your core issue is to take down videos,” the bench added, as mentioned by the publication.
Saraf opposed the plea, emphasising that FIRs against Ramgiri Maharaj had already been registered, stating that as of September 19, 67 FIRs were filed. He argued that proceedings cannot be initiated in this manner and urged for the removal of CM's name from the list of respondents in the petition. The bench agreed and warned of imposing costs on the petitioners.
The bench further directed Naqvi to modify his prayers and delete all the respondents except cyber police and local police officials. "Police have a mechanism. They will deal with this," the bench stated.
The bench will further hear the petition on October 17.
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'Go back to your own country': Indian-origin taxi driver attacked in Dublin
London, Aug 5 (PTI): An Indian-origin taxi driver based in Ireland for over 23 years has become the latest to be targeted in an unprovoked attack in the capital Dublin, with local police (Gardai) launching an investigation into the violent assault.
Lakhvir Singh, in his 40s, told local media that he picked up two young men in their 20s on Friday night and dropped them at Poppintree, in the Ballymun suburb of Dublin.
Upon arriving at the destination, the men are said to have opened the vehicle door and struck him twice on the head with a bottle. As the suspects fled, they reportedly shouted: "Go back to your own country".
"In 10 years I've never seen anything like this happen," Singh told ‘Dublin Live’.
"I'm really scared now and I'm off the road at the moment. It will be very hard to go back. My children are really scared," he said.
A Dublin police spokesperson said Singh was taken to the city's Beaumont Hospital with injuries determined as not life-threatening.
"Gardaí are investigating an assault reported to have occurred in Poppintree, Ballymun, Dublin 11 at approximately 11:45 pm on Friday, 1st August 2025. A man, aged in his 40s, was brought to Beaumont Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injury. Investigations are ongoing," the spokesperson said.
The incident followed an Indian Embassy advisory, also issued on Friday, expressing safety concerns following recent attacks in and around the capital Dublin and urging Indian citizens to take safety precautions.
"There has been an increase in the instances of physical attacks reported against Indian citizens in Ireland recently,” states the advisory.
“The embassy is in touch with the authorities concerned in Ireland in this regard. At the same time, all Indian citizens in Ireland are advised to take reasonable precautions for their personal security and avoid deserted areas, especially at odd hours," the statement reads, adding emergency embassy contact details as 0899423734 and cons.dublin@mea.gov.in.
It came in the wake of a brutal attack on a 40-year-old Indian man at Parkhill Road in the Tallaght suburb of Dublin on July 19, described as “mindless, racist violence” by locals.
The Gardai had opened an investigation into the case and Indian Ambassador to Ireland Akhilesh Mishra was among those who took to social media to express shock over the attack.
“Regarding the recent incident of physical attack on an Indian national that happened in Tallaght, Dublin, the embassy is in touch with the victim and his family. All the requisite assistance is being offered. The embassy is also in touch with the relevant Irish authorities in this regard,” the embassy said in a social media post days after the incident.
A Stand Against Racism protest was also held by the local community in condemnation of what was described as a "vicious racist attack" and to express solidarity with migrants.
Last week, Dr Santosh Yadav took to LinkedIn to post details of a “brutal, unprovoked racist attack”.
The entrepreneur and AI expert stressed that it was not an isolated incident and called for “concrete measures” from the governments of Ireland and India to ensure Indians feel safe to walk the streets of Dublin.
His post revealed that a group of six teenagers attacked him from behind as he walked to his apartment in Dublin.
“This is not an isolated incident. Racist attacks on Indian men and other minorities are surging across Dublin — on buses, in housing estates, and on public streets. Yet, the government is silent. There is no action being taken against these perpetrators. They run free and are emboldened to attack again,” reads Yadav's post.
Fine Gael party Councillor for Tallaght South, Baby Pereppadan, was among those who expressed concern following last month’s attack.
“People need to understand that many Indian people moving to Ireland are here on work permits, to study and work in the healthcare sector or in IT and so on, providing critical skills,” he said.
Another violent anti-Indian attack in Ireland
— Journalist V (@OnTheNewsBeat) August 5, 2025
Taxi driver Lakhvir Singh was attacked with glass bottles while doing his job pic.twitter.com/mtkwhLWISx
