King Salman: Our nation's path has remained steadfast since its founding    Saudi Arabia celebrates Founding Day on Saturday, marking three centuries of a proud legacy    Saudi airports record 128 million travelers in 2024    Riyadh Air to launch operations by end of 2025, CEO confirms Douglas expresses confidence in Boeing amid supply chain challenges    Al-Falih: Saudi Arabia is one of major countries attracting foreign investment    King Abdul Aziz: Founder of the Third Saudi State and leader of modern Saudi Arabia    Imam Mohammed bin Saud: The founder of the First Saudi State and architect of stability    Netanyahu takes aim at West Bank after bus explosions near Tel Aviv    Body returned from Gaza is not Bibas mother, Israeli military says    Trump 'very frustrated' with Zelensky, says adviser    Hong Kong's main opposition party announces plan to dissolve    'Neighbors' canceled again, two years after revival    Al-Tuwaijri: Not a single day has passed in Saudi Arabia in 9 years without an achievement Media professionals urged to innovate in disseminating Kingdom's story to the world    Proper diet and healthy eating key to enjoying Ramadan fast    Saudi Media Forum panel highlights Kingdom's vision beyond 2034 World Cup    AlUla Arts Festival 2025 wraps up with a vibrant closing weekend    Al Hilal secures top spot in AFC Champions League Elite, set to face Pakhtakor in Round of 16    Al-Ettifaq's Moussa Dembélé undergoes surgery, misses rest of the season    'Real life Squid Game': Kim Sae-ron's death exposes Korea's celebrity culture    Al Ahli defeat Al Gharafa to seal AFC Champions League Elite knockout berth    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Hindu priest arrested for hate speech
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 20 - 01 - 2022

Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati, a militant Hindu priest, has been arrested over a vitriolic speech he gave against Muslims last month.
the 58-year-old head of the powerful Dasna Devi temple in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh (UP) was one of several right-wing Hindu leaders who spoke at an event in Haridwar city, where they openly called for violence against Muslims.
Videos of the event travelled swiftly on social media, sparking a flurry of shocked and angry reactions, an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and police complaints from concerned citizens. The Supreme Court is hearing a petition demanding an independent inquiry into the event.
Narsinghanand is no stranger to controversy. For months, he has been accused of making deeply offensive remarks against women and minorities. His videos and words reach millions on social media, spawning an army of right-wing followers.
He has reportedly called Muslims "demons", threatened to "eliminate" them and said he is striving to create an India "free of Islam". In September, police in UP registered three cases against him for allegedly insulting women after a video of him describing female politicians as mistresses of their male counterparts went viral.
Narsinghanand is already facing charges in more than 20 different cases, according to his lawyer, Maa Chetnanand Saraswati, who is also a priest at the Dasna Devi temple.
Police shared details of 10 of the cases with the BBC — charges included attempted murder, abetment of suicide, and dacoity (banditry). Ms Chetnanand said the cases were politically motivated.
Narsinghanand's close aide and "confidant" Anil Yadav said the cases were "like our jewels. That's no problem".
When the BBC asked Narsinghanand about the allegations of hate speech, he became agitated and threw his mic away.
Born Deepak Tyagi, Narsinghanand is reported to be an engineer who studied in Russia and worked in the UK before returning to India. He joined the Dasna temple as a priest in 2007.
Critics say his latest comments in Haridwar are aimed at stirring up passions in UP, India's most populous state, where the BJP's Yogi Adityanath — who himself has been criticised for anti-Muslim rhetoric — is up for re-election as chief minister in polls starting in February.
They say Narsinghanand is protected by his closeness to BJP leaders — and the fact that his hardline politics benefits what they say is the party's polarising agenda.
"No prominent BJP leader can now associate with him because of his statements and their international ramifications. However, the kind of hate he has managed to generate directly benefits the BJP," said Alishan Jafri, a Delhi-based journalist at The Wire's Hate Watch, which tracks hate crimes.
No major BJP leader has so far condemned the speeches or the event itself. BJP leader and former spokesperson Ashwini Upadhyay attended the Haridwar event, but said that he had been present for only half an hour on the last day.
Police had registered cases against Narsinghanand and several others for " promoting enmity among groups" and "outraging religious feelings" in connection with the event.
But the first arrest came after more than a month - on 13 January, when Uttarakhand state police arrested Jitendra Narayan Tyagi. He is a Muslim - named Waseem Rizvi - who says he has converted to Hinduism and changed his name.
Narsinghanand, who was with Tyagi when he was arrested in Haridwar, was heard on video telling police "you will all die", as they led Tyagi away.
He is heard demanding to know why Mr Tyagi was being arrested. "I am with him in all the three cases. Did he do it alone?" he asked.
When asked about this, Narsinghanand said: "Do I have weapons? Should a terrorism case be filed against me for speaking out? In that case, half of India's population should be in jail."
Last Sunday, when Narsinghanand was finally arrested, police said it was in connection with two different cases - for giving a hate speech and making derogatory remarks against women.
In the weeks leading up to his arrest, critics wondered how his contentious personality and divisive rhetoric had escaped investigation for so long.
This is especially stark in comparison to a spate of arrests in UP in recent years against those accused of far lesser offences - people have been held over tweets that could allegedly disrupt peace, a journalist was arrested for "irresponsible" reporting that could "incite violence", and others were held for putting up posters against a controversial citizenship law.
Many of them were detained or charged under a draconian anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act or UAPA, which makes it hard to get bail. PM Modi's government has been accused of misusing the law to stifle dissent and target minorities - allegations they deny.
Rajesh Tyagi, one of the 76 lawyers who wrote to the top court seeking an inquiry into the Haridwar event, said it's Narsinghanand who should be charged under UAPA given the violent rhetoric he has allegedly been using for months.
In October, Narsinghanand was appointed head of the largest sect of Hindu seers.
Weeks before that, a 14-year-old Muslim boy was badly beaten for entering the Dasna temple — Narsinghanand called him a "trained killer". Police said the boy was lost and entered the temple premises accidentally.
The temple is revered by local Hindus, and the grounds host an annual fair for the festival of Dussehra that draws the whole community. But now a banner outside the temple says, "Muslims are barred from entry".
A poster inside the temple now calls on Hindus to give birth to no fewer than five children, a reference to a popular but baseless right-wing myth that India's 200-odd million Muslims will soon outnumber its 800 million Hindus.
Outside, the temple is surrounded by policemen who allow entry only with ID.
They say Narsinghanand's life is under threat. The state spends up to three million rupees ($40,570; £29,490) a month to provide him security.
In the town of Dasna, where Muslims account for more than 80% of the population, a district police officer, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Mr Narsinghanand's speeches had further polarised the community.
A local Muslim, who wished to remain unnamed, said he was trying to "spoil religious relations" in the area.
But many Hindus support him. Narendra Sharma, a shopkeeper, said he had unified Hindus. For many of the BJP's hardline supporters, Modi isn't going far enough.
"Mr Narsinghanand's supporters are mostly Mr Adityanath's supporters, not Mr Modi's supporters," Jafri said.
"There is one leader in the BJP. His name is Yogi Adityanath," Yadav said. "Mr Modi has opened avenues for Muslims that has made them very powerful in the past 10 years," he added.
Older residents recalled a time when Dasna was more inclusive — but feared that this has already changed. — BBC


Clic here to read the story from its source.