Ghaziabad: Dasna temple priest Narsinghanand booked for remarks against Adityanath, police

After coming to know about the FIR, Narsinghanand said he would reach the police station on Wednesday to court arrest but he did not do so

The controversial head priest of Dasna temple, Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati, was booked by the Ghaziabad police on Tuesday after several videos emerged on social media in which he was allegedly heard speaking against the police and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath.

The police clarified that there was no arrest in the case till Wednesday evening. (HT Photo)

Narsinghanand on Tuesday was on his way to join the protest led by Hindu Raksha Dal (HRD) chief Pinki Chaudhary outside the district headquarters, demanding the scrapping of two recent FIRs lodged against Chaudhary and also proceedings under the Goonda Act, when a commotion broke out. One of the videos showed him falling to the ground and being helped up by his supporters and police personnel. It was after this that Narsinghanand allegedly made remarks against the CM and police.

In the second video, he could purportedly be seen and heard making a speech against Adityanath. Calling the CM by his name, Narsinghanand dared him to use bulldozers in Aligarh (a city with a sizeable Muslim population).

“Mai apne baccho ke liye lad raha hu, aur tu raja ban ke baith gaya . Laga kitne mukadme lagaega (I am fighting for my children and you have become a king. Levy as many cases as you can),” he could he heard saying.

HT could not independently verify the authenticity of these videos.

Narsinghanand is no stranger to controversy or police cases, and has a large following on social media. According to police, he has at least 20 previous cases against him for his allegedly objectionable statements about women, minorities and the police, besides allegedly inflammatory speeches aimed at disturbing communal harmony.

Narsinghanand, police said, is currently on bail in connection with the Haridwar hate speech case. The case pertains to December 2021, when he had participated in a three-day religious conclave in Haridwar, ‘Dharma Sansad’, where he allegedly called for “genocide and usage of arms against Muslims”.

Vivek Chandra Yadav, deputy commissioner of police (rural), said on Wednesday that the police registered an FIR against Narsinghanand under Indian Penal Code sections 295a (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings), 505 (2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred) and provisions of the IT Act.

“The police did not prevent him from going to the district collectorate to join the protest. We took cognisance of the videos and booked him in an FIR lodged at Wave City police station for his remarks and speeches,” Yadav said.

After coming to know about the FIR, Narsinghanand said he would reach the police station on Wednesday to court arrest but he did not do so. The DCP said the sections levied in the FIR against him entail a punishment of less than seven years, if proved, and hence there was no need for an imminent arrest in the case.

“I did not make any derogatory remarks against the CM and I apologise if any of my words hurt him. But I will continue to protest the action taken by the police against Chaudhary. I am ready to court arrest if I have done anything wrong. The atrocities on Hindus have increased,” Yati told reporters on Wednesday.

The police clarified that there was no arrest in the case till Wednesday evening.