The police in Aligarh arrested Dasna Devi temple priest Yati Narsinghanand on Monday for allegedly making inflammatory speeches on Sunday against a particular community.
Hindu Mahasabha national secretary Pooja Shakun Pandey and her husband Ashish Pandey, who is also the outfit’s spokesperson, have also been arrested. According to the IPC, the three were charged with deliberate and malicious acts intended to offend a class by insulting its religion or beliefs, 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class), 298 (uttering words intentionally meant to hurt anyone’s religious feelings), 505(2) (statements promoting enmity, hatred or ill will between classes) and 506 (criminal intimidation).
A video clip has gone viral showing Narshinganand making provocative remarks against the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and madrasas as well as using derogatory language against the Quran.
Ashish Pandey organized a religious function where Yati Narsinghanand and others participated, according to police. In order to host the event, Pandey did not get permission from the relevant authorities.
