Dr Syed Ali Mujtaba
A HATE speech again by rabid Hindutva proponent and head priest of a temple in Uttar Pradesh’s city of Ghaziabad has incensed the Muslim community across the country. In various cities, protests have erupted and FIRs have been lodged against Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati, over his sacrilegious remarks against Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
“If you have to burn effigies on every Dussehra, then burn the effigies of Muhammad (pbuh),” the ‘Peethadheeshwar’ of the famous Dasna Temple said during an event late last month in the village of Sultanpur in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar district.
The fact-checker Alt News has confirmed the authenticity of the viral quote with video footage of the intemperate remarks made by the Hindu priest.
Hindutva elements have been at the forefront of whipping up an anti-Muslim frenzy in the country, unchecked and unrestrained. The question arises as to when the government would act decisively against them. But all indications are that the official apathy would continue as the ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) itself thrives on these hate campaigns and has gathered electoral strength by its polarisation tactics.
This is not the first time Narsinghanand has stirred controversy with his hate speeches. In December 2021, he called on Hindus to use better weapons against the “threat of Muslims”. He delivered the speech at the congregation of Hindu saints in Haridwar called ‘Dharm Sansad’. There are several cases registered against Narsinghanand, but all is hunky and dory in the Narendra Modi raj. This includes an open call for the genocide of the Muslims in India.
This story was originally published in clarionindia.net. Read the full story here.