Yati Narsinghanand ‘detained’, BJP MLA adds fuel, says temple attacked, calls for ‘encounter’

Meanwhile, adding to the controversy, BJP MLA Nand Kishor Gurjar (Loni) alleged that Narsinghanand’s temple was attacked Friday, and that those responsible should be “shot in an encounter”.

Police have not confirmed any attack on the temple. “A few youths were creating a ruckus outside the temple premises on Friday night. The temple organisation informed the local SHO and the situation was brought under control,” said Surendra Nath Tiwari, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rural), Ghaziabad.

Gurjar, who visited the Dasna Devi temple on Saturday, said: “Police ne raat lathicharge karne ka toh natak kiya, lekin raat 10-20 logon ko goli maar kar encounter karna chahiye tha… Yeh humla puri Hindutva pe hai… Agar raat 10-20 log mar jaate toh is tarah bawal karne wale nahi hote (Police put up a performance of doing a lathicharge at night, but should have shot 10-20 people in an encounter at night… This is an attack on Hindutva… If 10-20 people had been killed, there wouldn’t have been a ruckus like this).”

“Yeh Sanatan Dharam pe hamla tha… yeh Hinduon ki aastha pe hamla hai… Sab pe NSA lagaya jaye, aur jo giraftar na ho, inaam bol ke unka encounter ho… Do-chaar local ho sakte hain, zyadatar ismein bahar ke aatankwadi the, Rohingya the… bahari Mussalman hain aur agar inke saath koi local Mussalman hai to police unka encounter kare… nahin to samaj nirnay lega… aar paar ki jung hogi, uske liye phir taiyar rahein (This is an attack on Sanatan Dharma, on the faith of Hindus. They should all be charged under NSA, and rewards should be announced for those not arrested, and there should be an encounter… A few may be locals, but the majority are terrorists from outside, there were Rohingyas… if there were some local Muslims with the outsiders, then police should do an encounter for them… otherwise, society will take a decision… it will be an all-out fight, be ready for that then),” he said.

“Yahan kanoon se chalega desh. Yeh koi Syria nahin hai, Afghanistan, Bangladesh nahin hai. Yahan ki police mazboot hai, mujhe umeed hai ki police yahan nyay karegi. Mahantji ne jo kaha uspe FIR hogi, uske baad yeh humla… yeh humla mandir pe kiya gaya hai… isliye jinhone humla kiya hai unki saat peedi yaad karengi aisa hum kardenge, ya police karyawahi kare… yeh danga hi hua tha raat ko… kya choodiyan pehen ke baithe hain log (This country is ruled by law. This is not Syria, Afghanistan or Bangladesh. The police are strong here, I hope they do justice. There will be an FIR on what Mahantji said, yet there was an attack… this was an attack on a temple… so we will ensure that seven generations of those behind the attack will remember it, or the police should take action… there was a riot at night… are people wearing bangles),” he said.

His remarks came even as Narsinghanand’s latest remarks, allegedly made in Ghaziabad on September 29 – purported video clips are being circulated on social media — triggered protests and police complaints in several states besides UP, including Maharashtra and Telangana, and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Earlier too, Narsinghanand was arrested for his “hate speech” at a ‘Dharam Sansad’ in Haridwar in December 2021. While on bail in the case, he had again made similar comments at a ‘Mahapanchayat’ in Delhi in April 2022.

Following his latest remarks, the UP police have registered an FIR against him under BNS Sections 299 (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings), 302 (intentionally hurting religious sentiments), 197 (actions that harm national integration).

Meanwhile, security has been stepped up at the Dasna Devi temple after the protests on Friday. An FIR was registered on Saturday against 100-150 unidentified people under various BNS Sections including 298 (injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult religion), 353 (statements conducing to public mischief), 191(2) (rioting), 193(3) (liability of owner of land on which an unlawful assembly or riot takes place), 132 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 121(1) (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and 221 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions).

In Maharashtra’s Amravati, 17 people were arrested while a minor was detained for allegedly being part of a mob which pelted stones at police personnel on Friday. The mob was demanding an FIR against Narsinghanand.

As protests against Narsinghanand continued on Saturday in different parts of Ghaziabad, an FIR was registered against four more persons — identified as Anil Yadav, Rann Sighnanand, Ram Swaroopanand and Nirbhayanand, all temple priests — in connection with the hate speech, under BNS Sections 302 (intentionally hurting religious sentiments) and 351(2) (criminal intimidation). With PTI