Haridwar hate speech row: FIR after outrage, 9 latest developments
What do you expect when attending a religious conclave - perhaps, a discussion on the religious texts or learning to live a healthy peaceful life? But at this religious conference, there was no preaching peace.
Instead, there was a bloodcurdling call for making a Hindu Rashtra, picking up arms, a pledge to die and kill, a call for religious cleansing, genocide, and more. A string of violence-inciting speeches was made during a three-day religious conclave called ‘Dharam Sansad’ held at Haridwar’s Ved Niketan Dham.
The conclave was organised by the head priest of Dasna Devi temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad, Yati Narsinghanand, between December 17 and 19.
TRIGGER WARNING
Here are snippets from the conclave.
It’s anybody's guess who the hate speech was targeted against – minorities – Muslims and Christians.
Here are 9 developments on this incident:
1. FIRST CAME THE OUTRAGE, THEN POLICE ACTION
Better late than never; it seems like the only right thing happening in this case. After days of ignoring the hate-filled gathering, and the outrage over the issue, the Haridwar police registered an FIR. The FIR has come in 4 days late.
2. WASIM RIZVI NAMED IN FIR
Though the conclave was attended by the who’s who of the controversial Hindutva brigade, so far the Uttarakhand Police have named Jitendra Narayan Tyagi, formerly known as Wasim Rizvi and ‘others’ in the FIR. We don’t know who the others are.
He was also among the many who gave inflammatory hate speeches at the Dharam Sansad. So far, no arrest has been made in the matter.
3. UTTARAKHAND DGP CLARIFIES
Speaking to the Indian Express, Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar said the FIR was registered based on a complaint by a local resident and that they will add more names in the coming days.
“The person who gave us the complaint gave only one name, that of Rizvi, and mentioned others as unidentified as he did not know their names. Naming only one person was not a conscious decision and we will be adding more names once the investigation starts.”
Kumar also said that what happened was fully illegal.
4. ‘WAS THERE FOR ONLY 10 MINS’
Among the who’s who at the event was former Delhi BJP spokesperson Ashwini Upadhyay. After the FIR, Upadhyay said that he’s not responsible for what was said before he arrived at the event and after he left. He said that he was there only for one day for 10 minutes, and that he distributed a copy of the constitution at the conclave.
Statement on Haridwar EventFirst they targeted Modi JiThen they targeted Yogi JiNow they are targeting meTomorrow they will target you@pushkardhami @blsanthosh pic.twitter.com/JOLzRhT4a7
— Ashwini Upadhyay (@AshwiniUpadhyay) December 24, 2021
5. THE HOST OF THE EVENT IS A REPEAT OFFENDER
The host of the event Yati Narsinghanand is not new to controversy. The priest has several FIRs registered against him for previous incidents of hate speech.
6. POSTER OF EVENT HAD YOGI ADITYANATH’S PICTURE
A poster at the event had the name of a youth Hindu religious group ‘Hindu Yuva Vahini’, founded by Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath. The UP Chief Minister’s picture was also printed on the poster. The UP CM is yet to react on the incident.
7. ELECTIONS
The incendiary rhetoric comes ahead of Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The elections are due in February 2022. For the ruling BJP government in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Hindu seers like those who attended the conclave, are important for the vote base. The seers and religious leaders are quite influential.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami was even photographed taking blessings from Swami Prabodhanand, a seer who also gave an inciteful speech during the conclave.
8. MOB CALLS FOR ARMS
It seems like the Hindutva activists attending the event got their inspiration from the US; as they called for arming themselves for protection. One of the leaders said, “There is no protection without weapons (Raksha bina shastro ki nahi hoti hai).”
And by weapons, they didn’t mean or mention guns. They meant the traditional weapons like swords and lathis.
9. OPPOSITION FUMES AT GOVT
Opposition leaders trained their ‘verbal’ guns at the government over the hate speech incident. Some criticised the government for keeping mum on the development.
Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas is total Bakwaas as far as the Prime Minister and his drumbeaters are concerned. It’s only an empty slogan!Why the thundering silence on the atrocious hate speech made in Haridwar? Why the paralysis from the Home Minister & Uttarakhand CM?
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) December 24, 2021
Zero Outrage against the Haridwar hate speeches from Govt, Judiciary & Media though there are calls for genocide.Contrast it with Siddique, who is still in jail & Munawar who went to jail for a joke he never said.One nation but One law for Munawar, One law for Hindutvawadis.
— Srivatsa (@srivatsayb) December 23, 2021
TMC Spokesperson Saket Gokhale even filed an FIR with the Haridwar police.
I've filed a complaint with SHO, Jwalapur PS in Haridwar against the #HaridwarHateAssembly conducted from 17th-20th December at Ved Niketan Dham.Failing the registration of an FIR against the organizers & speakers in 24 hrs, a plaint shall be made to the Judicial Magistrate. https://t.co/hnUdNiurve pic.twitter.com/Xgv6FCu3ZM
— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) December 23, 2021
How the BJP-led state government in Uttarakhand handles the case needs to be seen, given the proximity of elections.