The police booked the Hindu priest Yati Narsinghanand for his inflammatory speech against Prophet Muhammad delivered at Hindi Bhawan in Ghaziabad’s Lohia Nagar on 29 September.
A video making the rounds on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) shows Narasinghanand addressing a public gathering, making controversial comments about Prophet Mohammed.
“If you have to burn effigies on every Dussehra, then burn the effigies of Mohammed,” he said.
The speech was allegedly delivered at an event organized by Major Asharam Vyag Seva Sansthan at the temple where he’s the head priest.
The footage has reportedly sparked outrage in the community with people demanding the arrest of Narsinghanand.
The First Information Report was registered under section 302 (hurting someone’s religious feelings) of BNS based on a complaint by police sub-inspector Trivendra Singh Singh.
The police response follows a letter from Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind President, Maulana Mahmood Madani, to Home Minister Amit Shah, condemning Yati Narsinghanand’s derogatory comments about Prophet Muhammad and calling for swift action.
“This hate speech threatens communal harmony and must be addressed. Immediate legal action and removal of the video are essential to maintain peace and respect for all religions,” the organisation posted on X.
Narsinghanand, who faces multiple hate speech cases, was arrested in a similar case back in 2022.
Narsinghanand’s Attacks on Islam and Muslims
Narsinghanand follows a strong history of targeting Islam and Muslims, infamous for his controversial remarks, Narasinghanand said last year, “Akhand Hindu Rashtra was the dream of Veer Savarkar and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. This dream should not be limited to Afghanistan; we should strive until Hindutva reaches Makkah and Kaaba.”
Another hate speech was delivered by Narisinghanand at an event in Patna in October 2023, in his speech, he justified the use of violence against the Muslim community.
“For the number of sons we have, we should have more weapons ready for them. We have to ensure that our sons are ready for the day these wild animals reach our home. We have to start preparing from now on, as this is a long fight. It is your duty to ensure that the day these jihadis reach your house, no one should be left alive.” he said.
At a separate venue in Patna in the same year, he delivered another speech targeting Muslims. In his speech, he said, “Love-jihad is nothing but jihad itself. Jihad takes place every second of every day. Prophet Mohammad has said that even if Jihad is not taking place, it should be on the mind of a Muslim all.”
At a press conference organized by Akhil Bharatiya Sant Parishad (Ghaziabad) in April, 2021, at the Press Club of India, Naringhanad said, “If Muslims come to know about Mohammed’s reality, they will be ashamed to call themselves Muslims.”
Addressing a Hindu Mahapanchayat in Delhi in the year 2021, Narsinghanand purportedly said 50 percent of Hindus would be converted, 40 percent would be killed, and the remaining will be exiled if a Muslim becomes the prime minister of India.
“Only in 2029 or in 2034 or in 2039 will a Muslim become the prime minister. Once a Muslim becomes the prime minister, 50 percent Hindus will convert, 40 per cent will be killed and the remaining 10 per cent will either live in refugee camps or in other countries in the next 20 years” Narsinghanad said.
“This will be the future of Hindus. If you want to avoid this future, then be a man and take up arms” he further added.
