Haridwar (Uttarakhand): A Haridwar Court on Sunday sent religious leader Yeti Narsimhanand to 14-day judicial custody after he was arrested by Haridwar police for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Muslim women at Haridwar 'Dharam Sansad'. He was arrested by the Haridwar police on Saturday after an FIR was lodged by a law student named Ruchika in the Haridwar city police station after she came across the indecent remarks made by Narsimhanand against Muslim women in a video of the Dharam Sansad going viral on social media.
Haridwar SP Shekhar Suyal confirmed that apart from the charges of inflammatory speech filed against Narsimhanand, he has now been charged for making misogynist regards against women who follow Islam.
Meanwhile, another FIR has been lodged against Narsimhanand today for misbehaving with the media team that went to cover the developments over the matter in Delhi. Yeti Narsimhanand was reportedly fasting at Sarbananda Ghat demanding the release of Wasim Rizvi alias Jitendra Narayan Tyagi when the media had reached to interview him. He was holding a 'Satyagraha' protest when the media shot some sharp questions at him. He reportedly grew furious at these questions, while his companions seized the team and their cameras.
The FIR was lodged against this misbehaviour this morning, while his companions have condemned his arrest. Swami Anand Swaroop, one of the saints demonstrating protests with Narsimhanand, said that they will continue the Satyagraha even if Narsimhanand is arrested. "Narsimhanand Maharaj is a respectful man who would not demean any woman. All this has political underlying, they have arrested our hero for no reason," he said. He also said that if Hindu saints are being arrested today, it can only be imagined how difficult it must be for a common Hindu man.
Along with Narsimhanand, more than 10 people have been named in the FIRs lodged over speeches that called for genocide and for the use of arms against Muslims. The Dharam Sansad in Haridwar organized from December 17 to 19, 2021, has emerged as a breeding ground for several controversies around religious matters relating to Hinduism and Islam, where several authorities had made derogatory remarks of various hues.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to Uttarakhand and Delhi police on a petition seeking an independent inquiry into the Haridwar Dharam Sansad speeches allegedly inciting violence against minorities.
Also read: Ex-chairman of UP Shia Waqf Board takes responsibility for Haridwar 'hate speech'
