Tensions flared up in Ghaziabad as Islamists hit the streets to voice their anger over remarks made by Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati, the chief abbot of Dasna Temple, at a public event. The mob raised slogans including, ‘sar tan see juda’ against the pujari. The event, held on September 29 at Hindi Bhavan in Lohia Nagar, became the centre of a fresh controversy after a video of Yati’s speech went viral on X (formerly Twitter). Islamists accused him of blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad, an accusation that has been levelled against the Hindu pujari in the past.
Friday frenzy mob hits street against Dasna mahant Yati Narsinghsnand, why?
Once again, the so-called fact-checker has shared a chopped clip of Yati, accusing him of blasphemy.
These zombies went on street with chants of ‘sar tan se juda.’ The UP Police has lodged an FIR… pic.twitter.com/CzEUvF4nW7
— Subhi Vishwakarma (@subhi_karma) October 5, 2024
Ahead of Islamists hitting the streets, a dedicated campaign was launched in social media. The one stoking the outrage was Mohammad Zubair, co-founder of the far-left portal Alt News, who claimed in a tweet that Yati had targeted Prophet Muhammad. Zubair, a self-proclaimed fact-checker, tweeted, “One more derogatory and hateful speech by UP Priest Yati Narasinghanand targeting Islam and Prophet Mohammad,” alleging that Yati was encouraging the burning of effigies representing the Islamic prophet.
One more derogatory and hateful speech by UP Priest Yati Narasinghanand targeting Islam and Prophet Mohammad. In his recent speech, he says “If you have to burn effigies on every Dussehra, then burn the effigies of Mohammad”.
There are several FIRs against him for hate speeches… pic.twitter.com/saBw6PTDnF— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) October 3, 2024
Zubair’s Role in Previous Blasphemy Controversies
Zubair’s sensational tweet quickly gained traction, attracting a flood of responses from users who often post inflammatory remarks against Hinduism while expressing outrage over perceived insults to Islam. This latest controversy bears a striking resemblance to the Nupur Sharma case of 2022, where Zubair’s selective outrage had also played a significant role.
In June 2022, Mohammad Zubair shared a video of Nupur Sharma, a BJP spokesperson, making remarks about Prophet Muhammad during a televised debate. The clip, taken out of context, led to widespread international backlash, sparking protests, death threats, and even diplomatic tensions between India and several Gulf nations. Despite his role in fueling the controversy, Zubair had remained silent on the provocative remarks made by others in the same debate, once again showing a tendency to target individuals selectively.
Building Pressure on Social Media
Following Zubair’s tweet about Yati Narsinghanand, numerous Islamists, IT cell operatives, and far-left activists began flooding social media with calls for immediate action against the Hindu priest. Samiullah Khan, a known Islamist provocateur, shared multiple posts demanding that Yati be jailed for “gustakhi,” an Islamic term used to describe blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad.
One user went so far as to tag the foreign ministry handles of Gulf nations like Turkey, UAE, Qatar, and even Iran’s Ayatollah Khamenei, imploring them to cut trade ties with India over the remarks. This tactic of internationalising domestic incidents of alleged blasphemy mirrors the strategy employed by Islamist groups during the Nupur Sharma controversy.
Legal Actions Against Yati Narsinghanand
Within hours of the social media outrage, an FIR was registered against Yati Narsinghanand under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code for hurting religious sentiments. The complaint, filed by police officer Trivendra Singh at the Sihani Gate police station, marks yet another legal case against the controversial Hindu leader. During his speech, Yati had reportedly said, “For thousands of years, we’ve been burning the effigy of Ravan for his mistakes. Now, far worse criminals exist. I urge Hindus, if you must burn effigies, burn the effigy of Mohammad.”
His comments have once again brought him into the crosshairs of Islamist groups, much like during previous incidents. In 2022, Yati was arrested after being accused of making derogatory remarks against women, and his fiery speeches at the ‘Dharma Sansad’ event led to accusations that he was inciting violence against Muslims.
UP Police said on X, “On 04.10.2024, some boys were creating a ruckus outside the Dasna temple, who were immediately chased away by the police force. There is complete peace around the temple premises. More police force has been deployed there.”
दिनांक 04.10.2024 को डासना मंदिर पर कुछ लडको द्वारा मंदिर के बाहर हल्ला किया जा रहा था जिनको पुलिस बल द्वारा तत्काल संज्ञान लेते हुए खदेड़ दिया गया था । मंदिर परिसर के आस-पास पूर्णतः शान्ति बनी हुई है । वहाँ पर और अधिक पुलिस बल लगा दिया गया है ।(1/2)@Uppolice pic.twitter.com/ubk92VFUAR
— POLICE COMMISSIONERATE GHAZIABAD (@ghaziabadpolice) October 4, 2024
Sachin Kumar, the Station House Officer at Sihani Gate Police Station, stated that authorities acted after a video of the alleged hate speech went viral.
This police action follows a letter from Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind President Maulana Mahmood Madani addressed to Home Minister Amit Shah, condemning Yati Narsinghanand’s remarks and urging swift legal action. Madani stressed that such hate speech endangers communal harmony and called for the immediate removal of the video to preserve peace and mutual respect among all religious communities. A copy of the letter was also forwarded to Ghaziabad Police Commissioner Ajay Kumar Mishra.
Protests in Hyderabad
Protests erupted in Hyderabad on Friday night against Swami Yati Narsinghanand following his alleged blasphemous remarks about Prophet Muhammad. Demonstrations continued throughout the night in various parts of the city, with groups of young people lodging complaints at multiple police stations, including Falaknuma, Hussainialam, Madannapet, and Tappachabutra.
At Tappachabutra, a crowd staged a roadblock demonstration, sitting on the streets in protest against the priest’s comments.
Assassination Attempts and Continued Threats
Yati Narsinghanand has long been a target of Islamist groups. In 2021, a plot to assassinate him was uncovered when the Delhi Police arrested a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) operative, Mohd. Dar. The terrorist was found in possession of a gun, Hindu religious symbols such as a Bhagwa kurta and a Kalava, and a Chandan-tika. This assassination plot bore chilling similarities to the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, where terrorists had disguised themselves as Hindus in an attempt to falsely implicate the community.
Despite the consistent threats to his life, Yati Narsinghanand continues to make controversial statements, often finding himself at odds with Islamist groups and legal authorities.
Parallels with the Nupur Sharma Case
The outrage over Yati Narsinghanand’s remarks has drawn inevitable comparisons with the Nupur Sharma episode, where a single statement about Prophet Muhammad resulted in a nationwide firestorm. Mohammad Zubair’s role in amplifying that controversy, much like in this case, led to widespread communal unrest. While Nupur Sharma faced death threats and was forced into hiding, Zubair faced criticism for selectively targeting her remarks while ignoring provocations from other participants in the debate. The current outrage against Yati mirrors that incident, highlighting the sensitive nature of blasphemy accusations and the potential for communal tension when such issues are stoked on social media.
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