×
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Haridwar hate speech: After SC notice, police arrest Jitendra Tyagi alias Waseem Rizvi

 A case was registered against Tyagi and some others under section 153 A following uproar over the alleged hate speeches
Last Updated 13 January 2022, 15:37 IST

Within days of issuance of notice by the supreme court to the Uttarakhand government regarding the issue of ''hate speeches'' at a 'dharam sansad' (religious gathering) at Haridwar last month, Jitendra Narain Tyagi alias Waseem Rizvi, the former chairman of Shia Waqf Board, who is one of the key accused in the matter has been arrested on Thursday.

A senior police official said in Haridwar that Tyagi was arrested from Haridwar and was taken to the Kotwali police station for interrogation. Sources said that Tyagi was accompanied by Mahant Swami Narsimhanand Giri, who was also an accused in the matter, but he was not arrested.

A case was registered against Tyagi and some others under section 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence and language) following uproar over the alleged hate speeches. The state government had also formed a special investigation team to probe the matter.

The three-day 'dharm sansad' was organised between December 17-19 at Ved Niketan Ashram at Haridwar by one Yati Narsmhananda, a local seer. The event was attended by saints and seers and some BJP leaders. Soon after the meet, videos purportedly containing provocative speeches by some seers and others went viral on social media.

In one of the videos, Maa Annapurna, a seer and an office bearer of the Hindu Mahasabha, is heard saying that she will not hesitate to take up arms to protect the Hindu religion. ''I 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,'' she is heard saying in the video.

In another video, a seer, identified as 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 is heard saying in another video that the Hindus will wage a battle more severe than the 1857 war of independence if they are not given 'Hindu Rashtra'. He also purportedly threatened the hotel owners in Haridwar with serious consequences if they allowed Christmas celebrations in their premises.

Check out the latest videos from DH:

ADVERTISEMENT
(Published 13 January 2022, 15:31 IST)

Follow us on

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT