The controversial meeting had been hosted at Daighar, Mumbra by the Sakal Hindu Samaj Thane on April 30, two days after the SC pulled up the Maharashtra govt on its inaction on hate crimes. Activists of the NAPM, Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti Shramik Janata Sangh, Sanjeevan Kendra and Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) were represented in the delegation.

In the speeches that have been detailed in the complaint, several speakers were heard espousing incendiary and inciteful through which they had specifically targeted the Muslim citizens and community of our country, specifically making targeted calls to violence. The event had been organised by the Sakal Hindu Samaj, an outfit that has been visible in ensuring that a string of such hate events take place all over the state.

Content of the Complaint:

Sadhvi Saraswati, Bharatanand Saraswati Maharaj, and Muni Nilesh Chandra Maharaj were the speakers at the said meet, along with two other unknown individuals. The collective complaint highlighted the fact that the said speakers delivered hate speeches, made misinformed and offensive claims, and raised open calls of violence against the minority community, with deliberate attempts of instigating and provoking his audience.

Sadhvi Saraswati had also urged her audience to take up arms by saying “In the name of religion, even if you have to kill for it or die for it, do not take a step back. Do buy a swords for Rs. 1000 and keep it at home, in case anyone who follows any other religion and is a be-dharmi even dares to look at you.”

Bharatanand Saraswati Maharaj also targeted the Muslim community and threatened them of havig a repeat of the Babri Masjid demolition, and said “We will repeat the karseva that we have done in the past. We all, along with our saints and Hindu brothers will ourselves go and free this pure land that belongs to us.”

Throughout the representation, citizens organisations have emphasised on the words used by the speakers, and has clearly incited Hindus, against the Muslim community by bringing in their history and certain controversial cases, and has even used slurs against the Muslim community. Following the patterns of their extremist peers, giving fire to the “Love-Jihad agenda”, the speakers have even brought in the issue of Hindu women being under threat. Such expression of extreme hate with a clear communal objective to establish religious hegemony upon a community that is already a minority in numbers in the country, is deplorable and against the constitutional values that we uphold as citizens of this country.

After several attempts, the delegation was able to meet with the Commissioner of Police, Thane, Jai Jeet Singh on Monday. In the delegation were Vandana Shinde, from the Andhadhraddha Nirmulan Samiti, Sanjay Mangala Gopal, from the NAPM,  Jagdish Khairalia, from Shramik Janata Sangh, and Augustin Crasto, Sanjeevan Kendra. There are over a dozen signatories to the complaint.

The complaint to the Thane Police Commissioner (and others) details the grounds for swift and stringent action against the speakers. Not only has the content in this instance (speeches made on April 30) violated both Supreme Court jurisprudence and several sections of the IPC, the repeat events of this kind make the atmosphere in Thane and Mumbra fragile and threaten social harmony. As individuals and citizens committed to work in the social sphere with all communities, the delegation stressed that this inaction by the police to first prevent that it takes place, and thereafter delayed prosecution action was further detrimental.

The entire complaint can be read here (English and Hindi):

Related:

Wild Goose Chase: From filing preemptive complaints to following up with officers, a round-up of CJP’s efforts to curb hate speech

Memo seeking preventive action against Hindu Janajagruti Samiti event sent to authorities

Citizens’ attempts to prevent hate speech event ignored, Hate Event allowed by Ratnagiri Police

Maharashtra: The new breeding ground for hate, oaths of allegiance to the Constitution brutally violated

Worsening Spiral of Communal Hate: State’s role in rising violence against minorities

The threat and lawlessness of “Gau-Rakshaks” in North India

How the Supreme Court has interpreted hate speech over decades

Supreme Court trains its gaze on hate speech, once again

Stop Hate Speech: Supreme Court directs GOI to take action

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