By Abdul Bari Masoud

New Delhi: PUCL and  prominent activists  on Thursday registered an FIR against hate speeches delivered at the so called ‘Sant Sammelan /Dharam Sansad’ held in contravention of the Supreme Court order (January 12 2022) on January 29, 2022 in Allahabad. They sought immediate action against the accused who made hate speeches at the Sant Sammelan under the various sections of the Indian Penal Code.

While delivering inflammatory speeches, the “Sant Sammelan” in Allahabad passed three offensive resolutions urging that the government declare India a “Hindu Rashtra” and introduce the “death sentence” for religious conversion organizers and stop usage of ‘minority’ term.

The FIR was registered by Prof.Rooprekha Verma, former Vice-Chancellor Lucknow University and Prof.Ramesh Dixit, formerly with Lucknow University at the Hazrat Ganj Kotwali, Lucknow.

The FIR stated that “Swami Anandswaroop hosted a contentious “Saint Conference/Dharma Sansad” in the Brahmarshi Ashram Trust camp located at Mahavir Marg of Magh Mela in Prayagraj on January 29, 2202. The goal of this “Sant Conference / Dharma Sansad” is plainly stated on the poster hoarding: “against Islamic Jihad and for the formation of a Hindu nation.”

Some of the saints in this Dharma Sansad made inflammatory statements and issued warnings with the intent of injuring communal and societal sensibilities. Going one step further than previous controversial Dahrma Sanasd, India was directly declared as a Hindu nation in this sammelan of Prayagraj, and at the same time, constitutionally a decree to declare the country as a Hindu Rashtra was issued to the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.

Shankaracharya Narendranand Saraswati, Mahamandaleshwar Prabodhanand Maharaj, Mahamandaleshwar Yatindranand Giri, Swami Anandaswaroop, Swami Ram Lakhan Das, Sadhvipuja Shakun, and others were among those who delivered provocative speeches.

“If Narasinghanand and Tyagi are not released within a week, we will organise a massive demonstration across the country,” said Narendra Anand Giri, one of the Sant Sammelan’s conveners.

“If the government delays their release, an incident like the bombing of the Assembly could occur, since we are prepared to become Bhagat Singh,” Giri added.”

Demanding immediate strict action against those named in the FIR, Prof Rekha Verma and Prof Dixit said the purpose behind such speeches/actions is to offend any class of people’s religion or religious beliefs, to hurt their religious sensibilities, and to harm them.

“As a result, in order to defend the essential principles of our Constitution and to ensure public peace, the above-named persons mentioned in Sections 153A, 153B, 295, 295A, 298, 504 must refrain from using and promoting hate speech, hostility, animosity, and malice against religious communities. Please take prompt action under Sections 505(2) and 506I.PC”, the FIR stated.

The same FIR is also going to be registered at Allahabad and other places of U.P.