Citizens for Justice and peace has knocked on the doors of the Allahabad High Court seeking directions to take strict action against Mahant Bajrang Muni Das who has recently made calls for mass genocide of Muslim community. Doused by the madness of creating a ‘Hindu Rashtra’, Bajrang Muni said in a video:

“In order to make a Hindu Rashtra, we will have to exterminate the Muslim community. Until Muslims are completely exterminated, Bharat cannot become Hindu Rashtra. The entire world knows that Bharat was Hindu Rashtra and we were living in peace. However, due to Muslim jihadis, this country could not remain a Hindu Rashtra. So now we must now take vengeance. “We cannot wait for India to become a Hindu rashtra, we have to speed it up and that is possible only when we finish off those with a jihadi mindset”

We have pointed out in our Letter petition to the Acting Chief Justice Pritinker Diwakar that last year in April as well he had delivered a hate speech denigrating Muslim women. He spoke into a microphone connected to loudspeaker from a vehicle, parked outside a mosque in Sitapur, saying, “If you tease a single [Hindu] girl, I will abduct your daughters and daughters-in-law from your house, and rape them in public.” He was arrested for thidd, but then granted bail by a local court within 10 days.

This makes him a repeat offender, warranting more strict action. “Such a speech coming from a man who enjoys ‘social respectability’ as a monk in saffron robes, who displays his social power to detriment, is potentially not just stigmatizing but a direct threat to members of the Muslim minority,” the petition states.

The petition highlights the frequency at which such speeches are made.

Hon’ble Sir, while this may seem like a random remark made by a hate offender, we would like to point out that several such hate speeches are being made across the country by various such repeated hate offenders and all of them enjoy impunity. Such rampant calls for genocide and violence against Muslim community are made almost on a daily basis and the videos are circulated by the perpetrators themselves on social media. This shows how brazen these hate offenders are and how little care and respect they have for the law of the land. This is majorly due to the inaction on the part of the Police in such cases. This has created a public atmosphere of fear and intimidation for India’s minorities, a state that is unhealthy for any society.

While CJP has continued in its endeavour to attempt to bring these offenders to book, by writing to concerned authorities and in making cases warning them when such speeches will be made, no real action has been forthcoming. Hence, a letter petition to the High Court has become pertinent.

The Letter petition may be read here:

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The man enjoys government provided security; he has allegedly recently said that eliminating “Muslim jihadis” is the only way to establish a Hindu Rashtra. Bajrang Muni Das, against whom Citizens for Justice & Peace (cjp.org.in) had filed a complaint with the Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) in April 2022, is now heard speaking less than a year after being arrested on the charge of inciting Hindus to kill and rape Muslims. Clearly the man enjoys immunity from serious prosecution and action.

Bajrang Muni Das’s purported comments mirror a twelve-month long trend of many north Indian mendicant’s heartland sadhus calling for a genocide of Muslims. The latest remark attributed to him came a day after another Madhya Pradesh seer clearly patronised by chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan appeared to suggest that next year’s general election would lead to the establishment of a Hindu Rashtra.

We know that India was a peaceful country in the past and its peace was destroyed after the entry of Muslims. The Muslim jihadis must be eliminated to automatically turn India into a Hindu Rashtra,” Muni, who is out on bail, appears to say in a video circulated widely on social media on Sunday, February 19.

This repeat offender, Bajrang Muni Das is chief priest (mahant) of the Maharishi Shri Laxman Das Udasi Ashram in Khairabad, Sitapur, situated one hundred kilo metres north of Lucknow. He was arrested on April 13 last year for allegedly urging Hindus to kill Muslims and abduct and rape their women. He was immediately granted bail on April 24 after “apologizing” for the remark in court but told the media after his release: “I have no feeling of guilt for what I said.” Clearly his was a worse than paper apology but the authorities in UP have believed its shallow assurance.

Muni confirmed to local reporters on Sunday that the latest video was genuine, reports The Telegraph. “We cannot wait for India to become a Hindu Rashtra, we have to speed it up and that is possible only when we finish off those with a jihadi mindset,” he is purportedly heard saying in the video.

This mendicant, clad in saffron robes, moves around with two Provincial Armed Constabulary guards — a privilege many sadhus in the state have enjoyed since Ajay Bosht/Yogi Adityanath became chief minister in 2017. Muni’s guards have not been withdrawn after his arrest.

Paramhans Das, an Ayodhya-based sadhu, often quoted in defence of the politically significant Ram temple at Ayodhya however, told the media: “I spoke to Bajrang Muni over the phone, and he told me he was talking only about jihadi Muslims. I support his statement and call on the country to listen to him.”

On Saturday, a day before, February 18 Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, a self-styled godman based in Chattarpur, Madhya Pradesh, told his followers: “Prepare for next year and also prepare to see India as a Hindu Rashtra.” He seemed to be suggesting that India would be declared a Hindu Rashtra after the 2024 general elections. The backbone organization of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the mother outfit so to speak, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) will complete a centennial completion of its year of birth in 2025!

Shortly after the speech of Dhirendra Krishna Shastri of Chattarpur, chief minister Chouhan made what appears a personal, religious visit to Shastri’s ashram and met him. Ironically, Shastri has claimed he has nothing to do with politics and had merely voiced a popular demand for India to be declared a Hindu nation. Several sadhus had been arrested — and later granted bail — a year ago for allegedly urging genocide against Muslims at the infamous Dharm Sansad conclave in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, in December 2021.

Around the same time, a video had emerged of a “Yuva Vahini” event in Delhi where participants took an oath to “fight, die for and, if necessary, kill” for the establishment of a Hindu Rashtra. The Delhi police, who report to the Centre, sought to close the case saying no hateful comments had been made about any religion.  Adityanath, himself the mahant of a temple in Gorakhpur, had as a BJP parliamentarian held processions during UPA rule demanding India be declared a Hindu nation. He has been reticent on the subject since becoming chief minister.

Background

In April 2022, CJP had in a written complaint to the Director General of Police demanded that “more stringent sections in FIR against Bajrang Muni Das: CJP to UP DGP CJP’s petition urges expansion of complaint to include rape threats”. The complaint, that may be read here, had pointed out that “that the criminal complaint lodged against ‘Mahant’ Bajrang Muni Das is limited and should actually contain more serious and comprehensive sections of the law, Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) has urged in a separate complaint with the Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh, that this be expanded and the investigation be non-partisan.”

The ‘Mahant’ Bajrang Muni Das from Khairabad, Uttar Pradesh has been booked for repeatedly making hate speeches and issuing rape threats to Muslim women outside a mosque in Sitapur on Hindu New Year on April 2, 2022.

The said video may be viewed here:

In your hometown, a religious hindu leader Bajrang Muni Das called for the ‘rape’ of Muslim women,and you chose silence.

Here is the full video. It’s been more than 5 days. No action against him by Police yet. pic.twitter.com/EP3kkOY6s5

— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) April 7, 2022

CJP had pointed out in detailed analysis how “key sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) like Sections 153, 153A, 153B, 295A, 354A, 503, 504 and 505 have not been applied to the hate offender. Besides Section 67 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 and Sections 3 and 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986 are missing in the police registered FIR.” The detailed complaint was made to  to Mr. Mukund Goel, DGP, UP made today, CJP has urged that only such a comprehensive complaint will ensure both a non-partisan and in-depth investigation as also a prosecution.

As observed and noted from a viral video on Twitter at that time in 2022, Bajrang Muni Das, the head of Maharshi Shri Lakshman Das Udasin Ashram, was seen openly threatening Muslim women with sexual assault while addressing supporters from his vehicle parked outside a mosque in Sitapur. Das’s audience comprised people who were part of a procession on the occasion of Hindu New Year. Much like many such processions being taken out recently, they made it a point to halt outside a mosque where Das spoke into a microphone connected to loudspeaker.

This video that “went viral” on Twitter, showed Bajrang Muni Das openly threatening Muslim women with sexual assault while addressing supporters from his vehicle parked outside a mosque in Sitapur. Das’s audience comprised people who were part of a procession on the occasion of Hindu New Year. Much like many such processions being taken out recently, they made it a point to halt outside a mosque where Das spoke into a microphone connected to loudspeaker and said, “If you tease a single [Hindu] girl, I will abduct your daughters and daughters-in-law from your house, and rape them in public.” The vile rape threat was filmed on video and went viral online shortly thereafter.

Also expressing concern over the significant delay in the so-called Mahant’s arrest, and the hate speeches made in the presence of a police officer, CJP has urged the DGP UP to consider the seriousness of the offence as done by the Uttarakhand High Court (March 2022) in the case of Jitendra Narayan Tyagi alias Waseem Rizvi vs. State of Uttarakhand, wherein the Court rejected the bail application of serial hate offender, Jitendra Tyagi and held that Hate Speech didn’t fall under the purview of the fundamental right to Freedom of Speech and Expression granted under Article 19 (1) (a) of the Indian Constitution. The Court further stated, “A balance has to be struck between the right to individual liberty and the interest of society,” adding, “No right can be absolute, and reasonable restrictions can be placed on them.”

Bajrang Muni Das granted bail within 10 days of being arrested!

On April 23, 2022, the District Court Judge Sanjai Kumar, Sitapur, granted bail to Bajrang Muni Das, ‘Mahant’ of the Maharshi Shri Lakshman Das Udasin Ashram. Das had been accused of openly threatening Muslim women with rape as he spoke from his vehicle parked outside a mosque in Khairabad, Uttar Pradesh. As he stepped out of prison this Sunday, he was quoted by The Telegraph saying, “I don’t regret my statement. I shall continue to protect my Hindu religion and women. I’m ready to go to jail and face such attacks a thousand times.”

Das was arrested by the police on April 13, 2022 from Sitapur, 100 km from state capital Lucknow, six days after the incident, and was charged under sections 298 (utterance or gesture in the sight of that person or places with the deliberate intention of wounding the religious feelings of any person), 354 (sexual harassment, making sexually-coloured remarks) and 509 (using word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). UP ADG (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar had reportedly stated that stringent action would be taken against Das.

This was after CJP had pointed out the deliberate laxity in charges and sections of the law applied in the case of the hate crimes by Bajrang Muni Das.

Even before April 2022, there are several hate instigating videos by Bajrang Muni Das made in the recent past and yet this mendicant, who has been given security by the UP police under Ajay Bisht/Yogi Adityanath clearly enjoys high level immunity.

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The post A saffron robe clad, Uttar Pradesh-based mendicant with venom on his lips! appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Bajrang Muni Das, the ‘Mahant’, ‘Hindutva’ leader and the head of Maharshi Shri Lakshman Das Udasin Ashram in Khairabad, UP was arrested by the police on April 13, 2022 from Sitapur, 100 km from state capital Lucknow.

In a 2-minute viral video on Twitter, Das was seen openly threatening Muslim women on April 2, 2022, with sexual assault while addressing supporters from his vehicle parked outside a mosque in Sitapur. Das’s audience comprised people who were part of a procession on the occasion of Hindu New Year. Much like many such processions being taken out recently, they made it a point to halt outside a mosque. This is where Das spoke into a microphone connected to loudspeaker and said, “If you tease a single [Hindu] girl, I will abduct your daughters and daughters-in-law from your house, and rape them in public.” The vile rape threat was filmed on video and went viral online shortly thereafter.

Taking cognizance of the offence and seeking arrest of the accused, National Commission for Women (NCW) reportedly stated, “The NCW has come across a Twitter post enclosing video of a priest Bajrang Muni threatening to kidnap and rape Muslim women while addressing a gathering in Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh. It has been reported that police personnel were also present at the location; however, none of them stopped him from making such an outrageous statement against women.” NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma told a news agency, “People talking like this in public about raping women of a certain community is not acceptable. We have written today itself to UP DGP and I’m going to take up this matter personally with him; whether they are religious godmen or anybody, they should be taken to task.”

On April 8, 2022, the Uttar Pradesh police had filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Das, six days after the incident. As reported by The Print, the said Hindutva leader was charged under sections 298 (utterance or gesture in the sight of that person or places with the deliberate intention of wounding the religious feelings of any person), 354 (sexual harassment, making sexually-coloured remarks) and 509 (using word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). UP ADG (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar reportedly stated that stringent action will be taken against the accused.

In yet another shocking video on Twitter, Das is seen to be threatening violence against Muslims in the presence of a police officer. Openly intimidating them he says, “Jo bhi Hindu ki taraf aankh uthaakar dekha toh har hind uke ghar se laathi nikalne chahiye… agar humlog bate rahenge toh yeh humko kaat te rahenge.” He claims that he has been reincarnated by God only for the destruction of Muslims. He firmly states that he will exhort Hindus to a point where even if he is killed by the ‘Jihadis’, the Hindus will remain riled up for the next 50 years so much so that Muslims won’t even be able to raise their eyes at Hindus. He encourages the crowd to commit violence if there is any brawl with the Muslims. He also claims that if any Muslim raises eyes at a Hindu, he will pull out such Muslims from their homes and mosques and physically assault them.

The viral video has been shared on Twitter and may be viewed here:
((TRIGGER WARNING: COMMUNALLY OFFENSIVE CONTENT))

“Har mulle ko ghar se aur uske masjid se kheench ke maarunga jo bhi Hindu ki taraf dekha toh”– one more video of Bajrang Muni threatening violence against Muslims. But @sitapurpolice has still not arrested him.

Video by TV9. pic.twitter.com/42N94t0EIp

— Kaushik Raj (@kaushikrj6) April 13, 2022

Hatemonger Swami Anand Swaroop jumps to Bajrang Muni’s defence and claims that if he were to be arrested then there will be huge protests against it. He even urges UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to protect hate offender Bajrang Muni at all costs.

That video was also shared on Facebook and may be viewed here:
((TRIGGER WARNING: COMMUNALLY OFFENSIVE CONTENT))

As reported by Hindustan Times, Das claims that the video has been “distorted” to frame him under “false charges”. According to FirstPost, Bajrang Muni Das is not a first-time offender, and has previously been involved in a land grabbing case causing injuries.

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A man identified as Bajrang Muni Das, a priest or ‘mahant’ of Maharshi Shri Lakshman Das Udasin Ashram in Khairabad town of Uttar Pradesh, issued a criminal threat to rape Muslim women. He spoke into a microphone connected to loudspeaker from a vehicle, parked outside a mosque in Sitapur on April 2, saying, “If you tease a single [Hindu] girl, I will abduct your daughters and daughters-in-law from your house, and rape them in public.”

The criminal threat as seen in a viral video was issued by Das as he was addressing supporters who took out a procession on the occasion of Navratri, and Hindu New Year. Like many such processons being taken out recently, this Hindutva group also decided to make it a point to halt outside a mosque. The Hindutva leader then took to a microphone and issued the vile rape threat while being filmed on video.

According to a report in Times Now, taking cognisance pf this open “rape threat” against Muslim women, Sitapur Police have initiated an investigation under Additional Superintendent of Police North Rajiv Dikshit. However, it is not known if any arrests have been made so far.

Where does the law stand?

There are clear sections in the law to deal with such offences. Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) deals with outraging the modesty of a woman. This section punishes “any act by a person that assaults or uses criminal force against a woman with the intention or knowledge that it will outrage her modesty” with “either simple or rigorous imprisonment of up to 2 years, or a fine, or both.”

Section 376 deals with punishment for sexual assault. The perpetrator can be punished “with imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than seven years but which may extend to 10 years” and also be fined.

It is crucial to note that the Information Technology (IT) Act, that pertains to cybercrimes, and IT Rules, also apply to hateful Social Media posts, as hate speech and hate videos going viral on the internet can incite crime anywhere, and are not restricted to the geographical location of the hate offender.

Some of these are cybercrimes as explained in an opinion published in Times of India, and include online sexual harassment and stalking as well. The report also elucidates crucial sections of the IT Act, which can apply in cases such as these where women are threaten with heinous crimes:

Section 66E – Taking pictures of private areas, publishing or transmitting them without a person’s consent is punishable under this section. Imprisonment can be up to three years and/or up to Rs 2 lakh fine.

Section 67 – Publishing Obscene Information in Electronic Form. Imprisonment can be up to five years and a fine up to Rs 10 lakh. 

Another hate crime targeting a mosque

This is not an isolated incident. Recently an FIR was filed against unknown persons in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, after a crowd climbed on top of a mosque in Gamrah village, and raised religious slogans on April 2. The accused have been charged with promoting enmity between two groups. Recently, a man was arrested on the basis of a viral video of the incident, though he has not been publicly named yet. Area SP Rambadan Singh told the mediapersons, “All the people involved in this case are being identified and strict action will be taken against them.”

Meanwhile, even Delhi Police have reportedly registered a case against the Hindutva leaders Narsinghanand Saraswati, priest of Dasna Devi temple in Uttar Pradesh, and Suresh Chavhanke, chief editor of Sudarshan News, Noida, UP, for allegedly making inflammatory speeches during a Hindu Mahapanchayat Sabha in Delhi. 

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