In a video that has gone viral, one Danish Ali from Meerut was seen announcing a reward of Rs 51 lakh to anyone who beheads Swamy Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati of Dasna Temple over his remarks against Muhammad.
Danish Ali of Meerut has Announced a Reward of ₹ 51 lkh for the Person who R€moves Head of Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati pic.twitter.com/hctJem2yBB
— Megh Updates 🚨 (@MeghUpdates) April 7, 2021
The video was uploaded after a clipping of Yati Narsinghanand at a press conference in Delhi went viral on social media where he allegedly hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims through his comments against Prophet Muhammad.
Danish in a 01:45 second long video can be heard threatening Yati Narsinghanand and says he messed with the wrong people. He says the priest should not have spoken against the ‘creator of the world’ and that he will have to face consequences for the same. Agitated with Yati Narsinghanand’s comments, Danish claimed he will behead Yati Narsinghanand himself if given the opportunity. However, if anyone else chops off the priest’s head, he will sell his house and jewelry to reward that person with Rs 51 lakh.
Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati also shared this video on his Twitter account.
हर हर महादेव
— Yati Narsinghanand Sarswati (@NarsinghVani) April 7, 2021
इसे कहते है जुनून
वो अपना घर बेचकर भी मेरी “यति नरसिंहानन्द सरस्वती” की हत्या करवाने के लिए तैयार है pic.twitter.com/gEkS4K15wj
As soon as the video went viral, some social media users tagged UP Police to take relevant action against the maker of the video. Upon contacting Railway Road police station, Meerut, a police official confirmed to OpIndia that Danish has been arrested and is being interrogated.
The same was shared by Meerut Police on Twitter.
थाना रेलवेरोड पुलिस द्वारा अभियुक्त को गिरफ्तार कर आवश्यक कार्यवाही की जा रही है ।
— MEERUT POLICE (@meerutpolice) April 7, 2021
FIR against Yati Narsinghanand:
Delhi Police has registered an FIR against Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati under sections 153-A and 295-A of the Indian Penal Code at the Parliament Street Police Station.
#JUSTIN: Delhi Police has registered an FIR under IPC Sections 153-A & 295-A against Dasna Devi temple’s head priest Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati for hurting religious sentiments with his remarks on the Prophet during a press conference in Delhi. @IndianExpress,@ieDelhi
— Mahender Singh Manral (@mahendermanral) April 3, 2021
Other threats issued to Yati Narsinghanand:
AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan had also issued a death threat calling for his beheading for the same. In a tweet, Khan said, “We can not tolerate such impertinence for our beloved Prophet Muhammad. This hateful insect should be awarded the most severe punishment by slitting his tongue and neck. But the law of the land does not permit us to do this, we have faith in the Indian constitution, and I want Delhi Police to take note of this.”
Taking action against his tweet which calls for the beheading of the temple priest, Delhi Police has registered an FIR against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s MLA Amanatullah Khan as well.
After numerous threats received, the social media users are trending ‘Main Bhi Narsinghanand’ in support of Dasna temple’s head priest Yati Maharaj.
‘Beheading’ as the punishment for ‘insulting’ Muhammad
It is notable here that radical Islamists consider any alleged or perceived ‘insult’ against their prophet Muhammad as a legitimate ground for murder by beheading. Most Islamic countries have strict laws against blasphemy, punishable by death. In India, lakhs of Muslims had marched calling for the beheading of Kamlesh Tiwari after his remarks against Muhammad. Tiwari was later murdered by Islamic fanatics in 2019.
In Bengaluru last year, hundreds of Islamists, encouraged by local political leaders, had attacked the house of Congress MLA after the MLA’s relative shared a social media post that allegedly ‘offended’ Islam. The mob had burned down police stations and attacked police personnel too.
In France last year, a school teacher Samuel Paty was beheaded by an Islamist for showing the Charlie Hebdo cartoons in his class.