Samajwadi Party leader and late poet Munawwar Rana's daughter, Sumayya Rana, alleged that she and some women activists were detained under "house arrest" by the Lucknow police on Saturday as they were planning to register a complaint against controversial priest Yati Narsinghanand over his alleged objectionable comments against Prophet Muhammad.
Rana also alleged that police refused to let them go to the police station to file the complaint and they had to submit the written complaint to the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP).
Also read | Yati Narsinghanand triggers row with remarks against Prophet Muhammad; controversy explained
"Today we (women activists) had to go to the Kaiserbagh police station to give a written complaint to register a case against Yati Narsinghanand for making indecent remarks on Prophet Muhammad and then we planned a candle march to Parivartan Chowk," PTI quoted Rana as saying.
She said that the police reached her residence around 11.30 am on Saturday and put them under alleged “house arrest”. Later, Rana said they called the ACP and submitted a written complaint to him. “We clearly told ACP Ratnesh Singh that if action is not taken by registering a case on this complaint, then we will surround your police station,” Rana added.
Also read | Row over Hindu seer's remarks in Amravati; mob hurls stones, 21 cops injured
The SP leader said Narsinghanand's alleged hate speech has hurt religious sentiments and threatened to spoil communal harmony in the country.
{{/usCountry}}The SP leader said Narsinghanand's alleged hate speech has hurt religious sentiments and threatened to spoil communal harmony in the country.
{{/usCountry}}“He has hurt religious sentiments by making objectionable statements against the Prophet and strict action should be taken against him. In this age of social media, such a matter spreads across the country and abroad, tarnishing the nation's image,” she added.
However, police denied the claim, saying her complaint was registered as per the rules. The ACP denied that Rana and other women activists were put under “house arrest” and claimed that there are no reports of law and order issues.
Also read | Ghaziabad: Protests, FIRs over Yati Narsinghanand’s purported video
"Rana had to give a written complaint in this case which she did. Police will take whatever action is required as per the rules. The complaint has been given to the Kaiserbagh police station in charge. There is no problem of law and order anywhere," he said.
Narsinghanand's alleged derogatory comments against the Prophet have sparked protests in the Ghaziabad district of Uttar Pradesh and other states.
(With PTI inputs)