AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to arrest controversial priest Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati for delivering a hate speech against Prophet Muhammad to prove they were not biased against the minorities.
Citing the Supreme Court’s judgment on hate speech, Owaisi said both the UP Police and the Yogi Adityanath government were in contempt of court for not arresting Yati Narsinghanand after his speech targeting minorities ahead of the Dussehra festival. The Hyderabad MP on Saturday led a team of AIMIM legislators to meet city Commissioner of Police CV Anand and handed him a representation urging the registration of a case against the priest and sending a team to arrest him.
Condemning the hate speech by Yati Narsinghanand, whom the AIMIM MP described as a repeat offender, Owaisi said, “He has the blessings of the Yogi government in Uttar Pradesh, and that is why he could speak such nonsense… Why is the BJP quiet on this? Why is the Prime Minister quiet on this? The Prime Minister is concerned about what is happening in Bangladesh. Why is my Prime Minister not concerned about what is happening to the Muslim minority in this country?”
Demanding action against the priest, who heads the Dasna Devi Temple, Owaisi said, “It is high time the BJP discharged its constitutional duty and got this man arrested and put him behind bars as he is not a first-time offender. He will do it again. The way to stop people from using such derogatory language against any person is to ensure that the full force of the law is implemented against them.”
Outlining his demands in the representation submitted to the Commissioner of Police of Hyderabad, Owaisi said, “We demand cancellation of his bail, and if that is not enough, to register a case against him and arrest him… The Supreme Court had directed suo motu action against anyone delivering a hate speech. The Supreme Court had also said any hesitation to act in accordance with this direction would be considered contempt of court, and action initiated against erring officers. We have given a copy of this judgment to the CP. We hope immediate action will be taken.”
He said the Commissioner of Police has directed the head of the Cyber Cell to register a case immediately. Moreover, the hate speech currently circulating on social media platforms will also be removed. Owaisi appealed to the people not to take the law into their own hands. Protests were held across different parts of the city against the derogatory remarks made by the priest, and complaints were filed against him at Falaknuma, Hussainialam, Madannapet, and Tappachabutra police stations.