Seventy-six Supreme Court lawyers have written to Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana, highlighting two recent events organised by the Hindu Yuva Vahini in Delhi on December 17 and Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati in Haridwar on December 19 where hate speeches consisting of open calls for genocide of Muslims were made.
Pointing out that “no effective steps have been taken” in similar violent hate speeches that have been made in the past, the lawyers asked CJI Ramana to take suo moto cognisance of these incidents. Action must be taken under Section 120B, 121A, 124A, 153A, 153B, 295A and 298 of the Indian Penal Code, the lawyers urged.
The advocates noted that such speeches pose a “grave threat not just to the unity and integrity of our country but also endanger the lives of millions of Muslim citizens”, adding that these were “not mere hate speeches but amount to an open call for murder of an entire community.”
The letter — signed by eminent lawyers including Dushyant Dave, Prashant Bhushan and Vrinda Grover, Salman Khurshid and former Patna High Court judge Anjana Prakash, accused the following speakers of openly calling for the genocide of Muslims:
1. Yati Narsinghanand Giri
2. Sagar Sindhu Maharaj
3. Dharamdas Maharaj
4. Premanand Maharaj
5. Sadhvi Annapoorna alias Pooja Shakun Pandey
6. Swami Anand Swaroop
7. Ashwani Upadhyay
8. Suresh Chavhanke
9. Swami Prabodhanand Giri
Prominent Hindu priests and organisations came together at Haridwar for a three-day anti-Muslim hate conclave where speakers called for, purchasing arms and ammunition, killing Muslims and attacking their places of worship.
A series of videos that surfaced online showed prominent Hindu priests including the infamous priest Yati Narsighanad Saraswati giving genocidal hate speeches targeting Muslims.
“The decision of this Dharma Sansad would be a word of God and the government will have to listen to it,” religious leader Anand Swaroop Maharaj said.
He went on to explain how Hindus should deal with Muslim street vendors. “The street in which I live, every morning I used to spot a Mullah [derogatory word for a Muslim] with a big beard and nowadays they keep a saffron beard. This is Haridwar, Maharaj. There is no Muslim buyer here, so throw him out”.
The event was also attended by BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay, who has previously been arrested for an event he helped organise where slogans were raised calling for violence against Muslims.
However, despite calls to kill an entire community, no one has been arrested yet.
Related
Rushda Fathima Khan is the Staff Reporter for The Cognate.
