The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a case against a man who's been running what he called a “study and research centre” centred around Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Uttar Pradesh's Aligarh at least since 2021.
The action on the man behind it, Jasim Mohammad, began with a preliminary enquiry (PE) in April on a complaint from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), HT has learnt.
The FIR was filed on October 24 under the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act as he ran the “Centre for Narendra Modi Studies” or “NaMo Kendra” allegedly without obtaining permissions.
It makes many claims, and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut is featured on its site claiming to have “compiled and edited” a volume of PM Modi's speeches for it.
What is ‘NaMo Kendra’ that Jasim Mohammad ran?
The website of the so-called centre, as accessed on October 27, describes it “an independent global research centre where eminent leaders, intellectuals, thinkers, social reformers, educators convene to address the multifaceted challenges confronting the nation”.
{{/usCountry}}The website of the so-called centre, as accessed on October 27, describes it “an independent global research centre where eminent leaders, intellectuals, thinkers, social reformers, educators convene to address the multifaceted challenges confronting the nation”.
{{/usCountry}}Its website lists an address for the study centre as being in Qila Enclave, Ramgarh-Panjupur, Aligarh. It also shows photos of a plot with a boundary wall and gates.
It says its objectives “broadly fall under ‘nation-building’ and are often within the scope of universities and higher education institutions”.
The CBI FIR says this about it: “The preliminary inquiry revealed that the Centre for Narendra Modi Studies was registered on January 25, 2021, under the Indian Trust Act, 1860, by Jasim Mohammad without prior permission from the central government or the PMO.”
Tall claims on centre's website, has made news
The centre's website identifies Jasim Mohammad with the titles of professor and doctor, and he is listed as managing trustee and chairman.
In his message on the site, Jasim Mohammad says the centre produces “research publications, reports, policy briefs, and conferences” that are “open to scrutiny, dialogue, and academic debate”. He clarifies that the centre does not align with political partisanship; “instead, we value academic honesty”.
Its publications — in English, Hindi and Urdu — include titles such as ‘Narendra Modi - International Relations’ (volumes include ‘Harbinger of Change’, ‘Heralding a new world order’, and ‘A New Awakening’). Then there are books such as ‘Narendra Modi: Social Revolution’ by someone called Dr Ashish Gupta and ‘Namostudies - India After 2014: New Chapters In Culture, History And Identity’ by one Tushita Bhandari.
Kangana's book connection with ‘NaMo Kendra’
In a video on the website, BJP MP Kangana Ranaut endorses a Hindi book by the centre titled ‘Rashtra Pratham: Narendra Modi’ that she claims to have compiled and edited.
It contains speeches of the PM and should be taught to every child, she says in the video. She had not yet reacted to the CBI filing an FIR.
The case so far is mainly about the wrongful use of the Prime Minister's name and other emblems.
Centre held event in Delhi
The centre held at least one event in Delhi, to mark PM Modi's birthday in September 2024. Kangana Ranaut was among those who spoke at the conclave titled 'How PM Narendra Modi Strengthened India's Relations with the Global World'. But she was not the only one.
As per news reports from the time, the event featured several prominent speakers, including RSS-BJP veteran Jagdish Mukhi, former MLA Neelaman Khatri, and some professors from DU and JNU.