Religious leader held for insulting women, not for Haridwar hate speech: Police

Hindu religious leader Yati Narsinghanand has been arrested for making objectionable remarks against women, and not in the Haridwar hate speech case, police clarified to the media on Sunday.

Narsinghanand, who was arrested on Saturday, had organised an event in Haridwar last month, in which speakers called for the genocide of Muslims.

Before him, Wasim Rizvi alias Jitendra Tyagi, accused of making hate speech at the event was arrested and sent to judicial custody for 14 days.

In a video of Tyagi’s arrest, Narsinghanand is seen telling police “Tum sab maroge (All of you will die),” while claiming that he was with Tyagi in all the three cases the latter is accused of.

Narsinghanand was arrested while he was holding a dharna against Tyagi’s arrest.

Police said while Narsinghanand has been issued notice in the Haridwar hate speech case, he will be remanded in that case soon.

“Yati Narsinghanand has been arrested for derogatory comments against women, not the Haridwar hate speech case right now. He has been issued a notice in that case so far. He will be remanded for the hate speech case too, the procedure is on. We will include the hate speech details also in the remand application,” police told a reputed news website.

The current cases in which Narsinghanand has been arrested, reportedly pertains to derogatory and hateful remarks he had made against women of other religions.

Narsinghanand is one of people named in the FIR filed over the hate speeches delivered at a ‘Dharma Sansad’ in Haridwar between December 17 and 20. In viral videos circulating on the internet, the speakers at the event were seen calling for the genocide of Muslims and use of arms against them.

While hearing a PIL demanding strict action against those who made the hate speech, the Supreme Court recently sought a response from the Uttarakhand government on the matter.