PIL In Allahabad HC To Restrain Yati Narsinghanand From Making Remarks Against Prophet Muhammad, Holy Qur'an

A PIL (Public Interest Litigation) plea has been moved before the Allahabad High Court to restrain controversial head priest Yati Narsinghanand of Dasna Devi temple in Ghaziabad from raising questions against Prophet Mohammad and the holy book Qur'an.

The PIL plea, filed by two Mumbai residents (Mohammad Yusuf and Zakir Husaun Mustafa Shaikh), also seeks the removal of his recent 'hate speech', wherein he allegedly made objectionable comments against Islam and Prophet Mohammed, from social media platforms. 

The PIL plea states that if immediate action is not taken against Narsinhanand, who is spreading a dangerous atmosphere worldwide, then all systems for our country and State will fail. It prays that he should be restrained from making disputed religious statements.

The petitioners have also prayed for a direction to the State of UP to take legal action against Narsinhanand since he is doing anti-national work.

The PIL plea is scheduled to be heard today by a bench of Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Vikas Budhwar.

For context, Narsinghanand is already facing multiple FIRs across the country for the alleged objectionable remarks he made during a programme held at Hindi Bhavan in Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) on September 29.

The provisions invoked against Narsinhanand include Sections 196 (promoting enmity between different groups, and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 197 (imputations and assertions prejudicial to national integration), 299 (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 302 (intentionally uttering words to deliberately wound the religious sentiments of another person) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

After the videos of Narsinhanand's alleged speech against Prophet Muhammad went viral on social media, protests sparked in various states, including UP.  Narsinghanand is already facing several cases, including one for allegedly making hate speech at a conclave in Haridwar in December 2021. He is currently out on bail.