Yati Narsinghanand booked again for hate speech at "Hindu Mahapanchayat"

Controversial priest Yati Narsinghanand was booked along with other speakers on Sunday for hate speeches made at a “Hindu Mahapanchayat” in North Delhi.

Narsinghanand, the head priest of Ghaziabad’s Dasna Devi Temple, who is an accused in the Haridwar hate speech case, again breathed communal fire at an event held in Delhi on Sunday. At a ‘Hindu Mahapanchayat’ held in North Delhi, he exhorted Hindus to pick up arms.

“If a Muslim became the Prime Minister, 40 per cent of Hindus will be killed,” Narsinghanand told a gathering of around 200 people, and “50 per cent of Hindus will change faith in the next 20 years.”  He further said, “This is the future of Hindus. If you want to change this, be a man (mard bano). What is it to be a man? Someone who is armed.”

Narsinghanand, who is out on bail in the Haridwar hate speech case, was taking part in the event organised by Save India Foundation founder Preet Singh. Singh too is out on bail after he was arrested by the Delhi Police for being one of the organisers of an event in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar last year where anti-Muslim slogans were raised.

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

According to the Delhi Police, the organisers did not have permission to hold the event. But, as per Singh’s Twitter account, the event was planned as far back as January 4 this year, Indian Express reported.

Journalists beaten up

Some journalists who had gone to cover the event meanwhile alleged they were beaten up by members of the audience. Some of them also alleged they were detained from the venue by the Delhi Police and taken to the Mukherjee Nagar Police Station.

Delhi Police, however, denied the charge. “Some of the reporters, willingly, on their own free will, to evade the restless crowd which was getting agitated by their presence, sat in a PCR van stationed at the venue and opted to proceed to the police station for security reasons. Nobody was detained. Due police protection was provided,” said Usha Rangrani, DCP North West, Indian Express reported.

However, in one of the incidents, involving Newslaundry’s reporters Shivangi Saxena and Ronak Bhat, an FIR has been filed under Section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) of the IPC.

Newslaundry‘s Executive Editor Manisha Pande wrote on Twitter, “Our producer Ronak Bhat was assaulted today while covering Hindu Mahapanchayat event at Burari. Our reporter Shivangi was manhandled, she says she was recognised from her last year’s report on hate speech at Jantar Mantar & targeted.”