New Delhi: Taking suo moto cognisance, the Delhi Police Satuday registered an FIR against Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati, head priest of Dasna Devi temple in Ghaziabad, for allegedly hurting religious sentiments with his remarks on the Prophet during a press conference in Delhi.
The FIR has been lodged under IPC sections 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, residence, language etc) and 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs).
“Taking cognisance of a video circulating on social media in the matter of a conference took place in the press club, a case FIR No. 57/21 u/s 153-A/ 295-A-IPC has been registered at PS Parliament Street and investigation taken up,” DCP Chinmoy Biswal, Delhi PRO said.
On Saturday, Amanatullah Khan, AAP MLA and chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board, also filed a complaint against Narsinghanand at the Jamia Nagar police station.
The complaint said, “Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati who happens to be the chief priest of Devi mandir, Dasna, leader of hindutva organization, Hindu Swabhiman and president of Akhil Bhartiya Sant Parishad with all his knowledge and intention, has hurt the religious sentiments of the Muslim community, not only in India but all over the world who love and idolize Prophet Muhammad (PBUH.)”
AIMIM chief Assaduddin Owaisi also hit out at Narsinghanand for his statements.
Insulting Prophet (SAW) is unacceptable. Can these criminals acting as religious teachers get over their unnatural fixation with Islam? For something that you do not like, you do spend a lot of time on it. I’m sure there’s enough in your own belief system that you can discuss 1/2 https://t.co/S8R0SO2UXO
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) April 3, 2021
Remarks on the Prophet
Narsinghanand was speaking during a press conference organised by Akhil Bharatiya Sant Parishad (Ghaziabad) Thursday at the Press Club of India. According to the receipt of the booking, he was the chief guest.
Every application for a press conference to be held at the Press Club has to be endorsed by a member of the club. According to the receipt and Press Club members, the press conference was endorsed by one photo journalist Bijay Kumar.
In the video of the event, which has gone viral, Narsinghanand can be heard using insulting remarks against the Prophet and Islam. “If Muslims come to know about Mohammed’s reality, they will be ashamed to call themselves Muslims,” Narsinghanand can be heard saying.
Last month, Narsinghanand and Dasna Devi Mandir were in news after a 14-year-old Muslim boy who went inside to have water was assaulted by the priest’s disciple.
“Ye mandir Hinduon ka pavitra sthal hai, yahan Musalmanon ka pravesh varjit hai (This temple is a holy place for Hindus, Muslims’ entry is forbidden)” — reads the board outside Dasna Devi Mandir, by order of Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati.
Also read: How Narsinghanand, a Russian-educated, London-returned engineer, became ‘hate-spewing’ sadhu