Dehradun: In an exclusive interview with ETV Bharat, Ashok Kumar, Director General of Police (DGP) Uttarakhand on Saturday assured that substantive legal measures would be taken against all the alleged accused who were indulged in instigating violence via their provocative speeches.
When specifically asked about initiating legal actions against those hate mongers who endorsed violence against Muslims and Christians, DGP Ashok Kumar said that "Our investigation is going on. No one seen in the videos would be spared if he/she is seen calling for violence in their speeches and their names. In this case, the same would be added in the investigation. If their speeches come under the radar of Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code”, said Kumar.
"The videos have been pulled from Facebook," the DGP also noted in a press conference on Friday.
According to sources, the taking down of the clips might have occurred after the DGP's recommendation for the same.
Section 153A refers to the offence of promoting communal disharmony, including enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language etc.
Also read:Haridwar hate speech row an attempt for political mileage, says Dharma Sansad organiser
It is also significant to note here that as far as now, the FIR which was based on a complaint filed by a local resident, only named Wasim Rizvi alias Jitendra Narayan Tyagi, as accused and 'others', with the nature of the latter still unspecified.
When being asked about the names of the 'others' accused whose names could be included in the next course of time, DGP Ashok Kumar guaranteed that all the people who were seen calling for violence against minorities would surely be dealt with legal measures.
In one of the circulated videos, Maa Annapurna, a seer and an office-bearer of the Hindu Mahasabha is heard saying "will not think for a minute and take up arms if I feel that Hinduism is in danger even if I am branded a supporter of Nathuram Godse".
In another video, another seer, Dharmdas Maharaji is heard saying that he would have followed Godse and "pumped six bullets in the chest of Manmohan Singh (former prime minister) when he had said that the minorities had the first right over national resources".
Another seer Anand Swaroopji Maharaj who was seen invoking violence via his speech in which he stressed Hindus will wage a battle more severe than the 1857 war of independence if they are not given 'Hindu Rashtra'.
