Controversial Mahant Narsinghanand of Dasna Devi temple roams free despite a suo motu FIR registered against him by the UP’s Ghaziabad police for making Islamophobic speeches intended to insult Prophet Mohammed and hurting the sentiments of the Muslim community, and a criminal complaint, among many other complaints, filed at the Shaheen Bagh police station in Delhi. This indicates the level of political clout the belligerent seer commands in the political and administrative arena.
By Syed Khalique Ahmed
NEW DELHI: A criminal complaint has been filed at the Shaheen Bagh Police Station in Delhi seeking “appropriate action” against the controversial Mahant Yati Narsinghanand for his insulting speeches against Prophet Muhammad and the Quran. However, the police have yet to register an FIR in this matter.
The complaint has been filed based on his speech in Ghaziabad on September 29, videos of which went viral on social media after it was shared by journalist Mohammad Zubair on October 3.
Police have also registered suo motu FIRs against Narsinghanand in Ghaziabad. Surprisingly, he has neither been arrested nor taken in custody. Ghaziabad senior police officials told media persons they are investigating and any arrest or detention would be taken only after proper investigation of the case, including examination of Narsinghanand’s speech on video.
(Meanwhile, Narsinghanand, who has gone into hiding, told a reporter, “I did not make any inappropriate comments or remarks intended to hurt anyone’s feelings. If necessary, I will clarify in court that my statements were justified.”)
The complaint was submitted by advocate Farid Khan, a resident of Abul Fazal Enclave, accompanied by Advocates Sheikh Imran, Faiq Mustafa, Abdus Samad, Mohd Riyasuddin, Inamur Rehman Khan, and Waris Husain. It cites a video of Narsinghanand’s speech at Hindi Bhawan in Ghaziabad on September 19.
The complaint alleges violations of several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including 152, 196, 197, 299, 302, 351(1), 351(2), 352, and 353, related to inciting communal enmity, making threats, provoking violence, and making statements prejudicial to national unity.
The complaint highlights that Narsinghanand’s speech, widely circulated on social media and broadcast nationally, blatantly violates legal provisions. It states, “In his speech, Yati Narsinghanand intentionally used language designed to insult the religious sentiments of the Muslim community and incite enmity between Hindus and Muslims, undermining national integration.”
The applicants emphasized that the priest explicitly requested his speech to be recorded and made viral, stating, “Is anyone recording or not? Record everything and make it viral,” before making derogatory comments about Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and the Quran.
Furthermore, the complaint cites instances where Narsinghanand urged Hindus not to burn effigies of Meghnad, Kumbhkaran, and Ravana during Dussehra, but instead to burn effigies of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, asserting, “If you have to burn effigies on every Dussehra, then burn the effigies of Muhammad.” He also made inflammatory remarks claiming, “Lakhs and crores of sisters and daughters are being raped because of your mugger Muhammad, because of whom the whole world is under bloodshed.”
The complaint notes that this is not the first time Narsinghanand has made anti-Muslim and anti-Islam hate speeches. In a previous instance at the Press Club of India on April 3, 2021, he made statements that incited social unrest. In another interview, he referred to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as a “monster,” likened Islam to “a dirty disease,” and described Muslim women as “sexual objects.” Moreover, at a December 2021 event in Haridwar, he openly called for the genocide of Muslims in India.
The applicants expressed concern that despite numerous instances of hate speech, legal action has yet to deter Narsinghanand. His insistence on recording and disseminating his anti-Muslim rhetoric demonstrates a blatant disregard for law and order. The widespread circulation of his inflammatory remarks on social media and national television poses a serious threat to the country’s constitutional values, particularly regarding fraternity and secularism.
The complaint calls for the immediate registration of an FIR against Yati Narsinghanand for violating BNS provisions and urges appropriate legal action to be taken.
Ghaziabad police registers suo motu FIR
Meanwhile, the Ghaziabad police have registered two suo motu FIRs: The first: against the fanatic Mahant Narsinghanand for his alleged derogatory remarks aimed at hurting the feelings of the Muslim community during an event on September 29 at Hindi Bhawan, Lohiya Nagar, Ghaziabad; the Second: against some aides of Narsinghanand.
The FIRs were filed on October 3, following a video posted by Alt News founder Mohammad Zubair, which showed Narsinghanand making derogatory comments about Prophet Muhammad.
The police FIRs have invoked several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including 298 (injuring or defiling a place of worship with intent to insult religion), 353 (statements conducive to public mischief), 191(2) (rioting), 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from performing their duty), 121(1) (voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant), and 221 (obstructing a public servant in the discharge of their duties).
One of the FIRs was filed on October 3 by sub-inspector Trivendra Singh from the Sihani Gate police station against Narsinghanand.
The second FIR was filed by sub-inspector Bhanu Prakash Singh, the beat in-charge of Dasna Devi area under the Wave City Police Station, against Narsinghanand’s disciples. His disciples—identified as Anil Yadav, Chota Narsinghanand, Yati Ran Singhanand, Yati Ram Swaroopanand, and Yati Nirbhayanand—have been accused of making objectionable remarks, with video evidence circulating on social media. They have been booked under BNS Sections 302 and 251.
FIR against journalist Mohammad Zubair
The Ghaziabad police have also filed an FIR against Alt News co-founder Mohammad Zubair based on a complaint from Udita Tyagi, an aide to Narsinghanand and the general secretary of the Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati Foundation. In her complaint at the Kavi Nagar police station, Udita alleged that Zubair posted a video clip of an old programme featuring Narsinghanand on October 3, with the intent of inciting violence by Muslims against the ‘mahant’(priest).
According to police sources, the FIR against Zubair includes charges under several BNS sections: 196 (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion), 228 (giving or fabricating false evidence), 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings), 356(3) (related to defamation), and 351(2) (punishment for criminal intimidation).
Udita claimed that a large crowd gathered in front of the Dasna Devi temple on Friday night (October 4) following Zubair’s posting of video clips on October 3. When police arrived to disperse the crowd, the mob allegedly began throwing stones at the temple. Media reports indicate that 10 individuals have been arrested in connection with the stone-pelting incident.
Meanwhile, several Hindu organizations are calling for action against Zubair, AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi, and Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind president Arshad Madani, accusing them of inciting Muslims to attack the Dasna Devi temple.
FIR against protesters demanding action against bellicose Mahant
Maulana Mohammad Shaban Qasmi, president of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (Ghaziabad), informed reporters that a call was issued for an assembly on Friday night near Dasna, but not at the Dasna Devi temple. However, some youths took the main road toward the temple, which fuelled rumours that the gathering was intended to be in front of it. As a result, the meeting was cancelled. A suo motu FIR was filed against 100 to 150 individuals, alleging that they marched to the Dasna Devi temple and threw stones at it.
A suo-motu FIR has also been registered at the Masuri police station against protesters responding to the inflammatory video speeches of Narsinghanand. The FIR states that “25-30 individuals gathered and burned an effigy near Khajoor Masjid, an act intended to incite animosity between the two religious communities.”
Another suo motu FIR has been filed by police at the Kotwali police station against one named individual and 20-25 unidentified persons under BNS section 196 for promoting enmity between different groups based on religion, race, and other factors. The FIR indicates that the suspect and others had intended to gather and present a memorandum to the Muslim community regarding previous alleged remarks made by Narsinghanand.
The FIR states, “When I arrived around 6:45 PM, the suspect was delivering hate speeches aimed at disrupting communal harmony while gathering individuals from the Muslim community. This incited anger among its members.”
