The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Two Holy Mosques on Saturday strongly condemned the alleged derogatory blasphemous remarks made by Uttar Pradesh Hindu priest Yati Narasinghanand regarding Prophet Muhammad.
Yati delivered the controversial statements during a speech at Dasna temple in Ghaziabad on September 29. However, it came to light on Thursday, October 3 when a speech clip surfaced on social media, sparking widespread outrage.
In the speech, Yati is purportedly heard suggesting to Hindus, “If you have to burn effigies on every Dussehra, then burn the effigies of Muhammad,” a remark that many viewed as blasphemous and inflammatory.
Subsequently, the outcry prompted Ghaziabad police to file an FIR against Yati under section 302 (hurting someone’s religious feelings) of BNS. However, there have been no arrest reports so far.
Holy mosques condemantion
In their editorial statement, the Holy Mosques emphasized the seriousness of such remarks stating, “The Holy Mosques strongly condemns the blasphemy of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon Him) committed by a priest of India and calls upon international organizations to stop elements that create communal tension and take steps to prevent the spread of Islamophobia and promote religious harmony”.
Pertinently, the Two Holy Mosques are Al-Masjid al-Haram located in Makkah and Al-Masjid an-Nabawi in Medina, which are the holiest sites in Islam.
The backlash against Narasinghanand’s comments has been significant, with protests erupting in various parts of India including Hyderabad. Local leaders have demanded immediate legal action against him, citing concerns over communal harmony.
President of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), Asaduddin Owaisi has announced a move to take legal action against Yati. Owasi indicated that he and AIMIM MLAs would meet with the Hyderabad Police Commissioner to submit a formal representation demanding immediate legal proceedings against Yati.
Muslim religious organisation Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind President, Maulana Mahmood Madani, also condemned these remarks and wrote to Union home minister Amit Shah demanding immediate action.
“This hate speech threatens communal harmony and must be addressed. Immediate legal action and removal of the video are essential to maintain peace and respect for all religions,” the organisation posted on X.
Narasinghanand infamous for making derogatory statements against Muslims and Islam has faced multiple legal actions in past for similar hate speech. His recent remarks have to only incited anger within India but also drawn internal attention.
