Hate speech at Maha Panchayat in Burari: Delhi police register 3 FIRs

Delhi police have registered three FIRs in connection with the alleged hate speech delivered at a Maha Panchayat organised on Sunday in New Delhi's Burari ground, and said that legal action is being taken against those spreading rumours on social media.

New Delhi: Delhi police have registered three FIRs in connection with the alleged hate speech delivered at a Maha Panchayat organised on Sunday in New Delhi's Burari ground, and said that legal action is being taken against those spreading rumours on social media. The first FIR has been filed for organising the programme without due grant of permission from the police. The police have filed an FIR against the organiser of the event (Preet Singh, founder of the Save India Foundation).

The second FIR has been filed against the alleged mishandling of journalists present at the event. The third FIR has been filed for spreading misinformation (hate speech) on social media. "A request letter for seeking permission for organizing Hindu Mahapanchayat Sabha was received in North-West District from organizer Preet Singh, President, Save India Foundation, Mangolpuri, Delhi. The request was denied by North-West District police on the ground that the organizer had no permission from the land-owning agency i.e. DDA for organizing this Sabha in Burari Ground," Delhi Police said in a statement.

The police said that organiser of the event Preet Singh started the Hindu Mahapanchayat Sabha which was attended by nearly 800 people despite being denied permission. "Some of the speakers including Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati, Priest of Dasna Devi Temple and Suresh Chauhanke, Chief Editor of Sudarshan News uttered words promoting disharmony, feelings of enmity, hatred or ill will between two communities," said police in its statement. A case was registered in Mukherjee Nagar after which the investigation was initiated. The police also received complaints from journalists who alleged mishandling and assault at the event during reporting.

"A complaint was received in PS Mukharjee Nagar from two journalists of a News Portal who had come to Burari Ground for reporting the event of Hindu Mahapanchayat Sabha. In their complaint, they had alleged that on April 3, at around 1.30 pm, when they were rushing towards the exit, they were manhandled and assaulted by a group of people who also tried to snatch the mobile phones and I-Card of journalists," the police said.

"Another complaint was also received from an independent/ freelance journalist who had also come to Burari Ground for reporting the event of Hindu Mahapanchayat Sabha. He had alleged that on April 3, at around 1 pm, when he along with two other journalists were interviewing one person, then some persons manhandled and assaulted him. A case was registered," the police further added in its statement.

Yati Narsinghanand, head priest of Ghaziabad's Dasna Devi Temple, on Sunday exhorted Hindus to take up arms and alleged that if a Muslim becomes the Prime Minister, 50 per cent of Hindus will convert and 40 per cent will be killed." Narsinghanand, the priest who is also accused in the Haridwar hate speech case, was speaking at an event organised by Preet Singh, founder of the Save India Foundation.

Singh was one of the organisers of an event at Jantar Mantar last year where anti-Muslim slogans were raised. He was arrested by the Delhi Police in connection with that case and is currently out on bail. Narsinghanand, too, is out on bail in connection with the Haridwar case. "Only in 2029 or in 2034 or in 2039 a Muslim will become the prime minister. Once a Muslim will become the PM, 50 per cent Hindus will convert, 40 per cent will be killed and the remaining 10 per cent will either live in refugee camps or in other countries in the next 20 years," Yati said according to a video of the event circulated on social media.

ANI