BSP chief Mayawati expressed her disapproval of priest Yati Narsinghanand on Sunday, condemning his alleged hate speech and urging both the Central and state governments to take decisive action against him.
“In Ghaziabad, UP, the Mahant of Dasna Devi Temple once again made hate speeches against Islam, which has created unrest and tension in the entire area and many parts of the country. The police took action against the protesters, but the main culprits remained unpunished,” the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister stated in a post on X.
Mayawati emphasised the importance of upholding the Indian Constitution, which guarantees secularism and equal respect for all religions. She stated, “It is the responsibility of the central and state governments to take strict legal action against those who violate it so that there is peace in the country and development is not hindered.”
Ongoing legal issues for Narsinghanand
Narsinghanand has been booked for hate speech following his objectionable remarks about Prophet Muhammad, which incited protests in Ghaziabad and other states. A significant crowd gathered outside the Dasna Devi temple on Friday night to protest against him after videos of his inflammatory remarks circulated online, prompting increased security around the area.
This is not the first time Narsinghanand has faced legal trouble; he has several cases against him, including a previous hate speech incident at a conclave in Haridwar in December 2021. He was out on bail at the time of this latest controversy.
Legal actions following protests
An FIR was lodged against 150 individuals based on a complaint by Sub-Inspector Bhanu, the officer in charge of the Dasna police outpost, concerning the protests outside the Dasna temple. Additionally, an FIR was registered against Narsinghanand in Maharashtra’s Amravati city on Saturday after violent protests erupted outside the Nagpuri Gate police station. These protests resulted in injuries to 21 police personnel and damage to 10 police vehicles during stone pelting by a mob.
The police have filed a case against Narsinghanand under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including BNS sections 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings), 302 (deliberately wounding religious sentiments), and 197 (actions that harm national integration), among others.
With inputs from PTI