'Take Up Arms'! Yati Narsinghanand Booked Again For Hate Speech, Incites Violence Against Muslims

Religious leader Yati Narsinghanand, who was earlier arrested in the Haridwar hate speech case and was out on bail, has been booked again for allegedly delivering a speech on Sunday exhorting Hindus to pick up arms and claimed they faced the threat of conversion and violence if a "Muslim is made prime minister."

Delhi Police issued a statement saying it has lodged an FIR over the inflammatory speeches. According to the FIR registered at the Mukharjee Nagar police station, some of the speakers, including Narsinghanand and Suresh Chauhanke, Chief Editor of Sudarshan News, said words promoting disharmony, hatred, feelings of enmity or ill will between two communities.

The event was organised by Preet Singh, founder of the Save India Foundation and one of the organisers of an event held at Jantar Mantar in 2021, where anti-Muslim slogans were raised. Delhi Police had arrested Singh in connection with the case and is out on bail now, The Indian Express reported.

Narsinghanand Currently On Bail

Narsinghanand, head priest of Ghaziabad's Dasna Devi temple, is also out on bail in connection with a hate speech he made at a three-day 'Dharam Sansad' held in Haridwar in December 2021. According to his bail condition, he would not be part of any gathering or event "which aims at creating religious differences".

Speaking at Delhi's Burari ground, where nearly 500 people had gathered to participate in a 'Hindu mahapanchayat', the priest said that if a Muslim is made prime minister, "Fifty per cent of you (Hindus) will change your faith in the next 20 years".

Narsinghanand also said that 40 per cent of Hindus will be killed" if the country were to get a Muslim PM. "This is the future of Hindus. If you want a change, be a man (mard bano). What is it to be a man? Someone who is armed," he said.

While Delhi Police said the organisers did not have permission to conduct the event, no one was restricted or detained ahead of the meeting.

"We are scanning all the footage. The Delhi Police have also recorded some videos during the event. After taking legal opinion, we will take action," a senior police official said.

Narsinghanand also told the gathering that Hindus will have to have more children, and teach them to fight.

"If you want Hindus and Muslims not to fight, watch 'The Kashmir Files'. Just like the Kashmiri people had to leave their homeland, their daughters and their property behind, you will also have to escape and drown in the Indian Ocean. It is the only option left," he said.

Suresh Chavhanke, editor-in-chief of Sudarshan News said he was not for equal rights for all. "I consider Shivaji as my forefather and you consider Aurangzeb as yours. I am a Ram worshipper, you are Babar's son. I want Shiv Mandir in Kashi, you fight battles for Gyanvapi masjid. Can there be equality?" he said.

Some of the journalists present to cover the event alleged that audience members beat them up. Two FIRs have been lodged based on their complaints.

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