The controversy arose on September 29 when Narsinghanand, previously charged with hate speech, delivered a public address allegedly containing derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad. Zubair posted on X (formerly Twitter), labeling the speech as “hateful and derogatory.”
Allahabad: Alt News journalist and fact-checker Mohammad Zubair has approached the Allahabad High Court seeking protection from arrest in a case filed by supporters of Yati Narsinghanand, the priest of Ghaziabad’s Dasna Devi Temple, accusing him of promoting enmity.
The matter is scheduled for a hearing on November 21 before a Bench comprising Justices Ashwini Kumar Mishra and Dr. Gautam Chowdhary.
The controversy arose on September 29 when Narsinghanand, previously charged with hate speech, delivered a public address allegedly containing derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad. Zubair posted on X (formerly Twitter), labeling the speech as “hateful and derogatory.”
Zubair’s tweet read,
“Hello Jagdish Singh. Does your cute granddaughter know about your part-time job of abusing people on social media? I suggest you change your profile picture.”
Subsequently, the Delhi Police filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Zubair, invoking provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act as well as sections of the Information Technology Act and the Indian Penal Code. Zubair was accused of allegedly “threatening and torturing” a minor girl on Twitter.
The Delhi Police stated that Singh’s tweet does not induce fear or alarm among the public, leading to no case being registered against him.
“The tweet by the complainant, Mr. Jagdish Singh, examined in this regard, does not incite fear or alarm among the public or any section thereof, prompting individuals to commit offenses against the state or public tranquility. Consequently, no case has been registered against the complainant, Mr. Jagdish Singh, in relation to the mentioned tweet,” the report stated.
However, the Delhi Police later filed an affidavit before the High Court stating that Zubair was not named in the chargesheet as no evidence of criminality was found against him. The Court criticized the police for their failure to take action against Singh, who had made hate speech against Zubair.
The tweet read:
“Hello Jagdish Singh. Does your cute granddaughter know about your part-time job of abusing people on social media? I suggest you change your profile picture.”
Following this, multiple FIRs were filed against Narsinghanand in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Telangana for inciting communal discord and offending religious sentiments. His aides allege he was detained by police, a claim denied by Ghaziabad authorities. Protests subsequently erupted at the Dasna Devi Temple.
The FIR against Zubair stems from a complaint by Udita Tyagi, General Secretary of the Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati Foundation. Tyagi alleged that Zubair shared an old video clip of Narsinghanand on October 3 to provoke violence against him. She further accused Zubair, along with Arshad Madani and Asaduddin Owaisi, of instigating disturbances at the temple through a complaint filed on October 5.
The Ghaziabad Police charged Zubair under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including 196 (promoting enmity on religious grounds), 228 (fabricating false evidence), 299 (insulting religious beliefs), 356(3) (defamation), and 351(2) (criminal intimidation).
In his plea, Zubair argued that his social media post was aimed at drawing attention to Narsinghanand’s repeated communal statements and offensive remarks about women and political leaders. He also tagged the Uttar Pradesh Police, Ghaziabad Police, and DCP (City), Ghaziabad, requesting action.
Zubair’s plea alleges that the FIR is a “publicity stunt,” citing a social media post by the complainant where she thanked a follower for supporting the FIR. He further contends that the charges against him are an attempt to silence his efforts to expose Narsinghanand’s actions.
Meanwhile, a separate plea is pending before the Allahabad High Court seeking to restrain Narsinghanand from making inflammatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad and the Quran. Narsinghanand has a history of hate speech cases, including his 2022 arrest for inflammatory comments against Muslims at a Dharam Sansad event in Haridwar.
Though his initial bail plea was denied, he was later granted bail by a sessions court. He has also faced charges for derogatory remarks about women and for contempt of court, with the Supreme Court issuing notice to him in 2023 in response to a plea filed by activist Shachi Nelli.
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