Court Petition Seeks to Silence Controversial Temple Priest

A PIL has been filed in the Allahabad High Court to prevent Yati Narsinghanand from making inflammatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad and the Quran. Filed by Mumbai residents, it calls for removing his hate speech from social media and urges legal action by Uttar Pradesh authorities.

Mumbai residents Mohammad Yusuf and Zakir Husaun Mustafa Shaikh have filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Allahabad High Court against Yati Narsinghanand, a controversial priest in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad. The petition seeks to restrain him from making derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad and the Quran.

Earlier this month, Narsinghanand was booked for hate speech following his alleged inflammatory statements during an event in Ghaziabad on September 29, which sparked widespread protests. The PIL requests the court to remove these speeches from social media.

The petitioners urged the court to prevent the priest from further inflaming religious sentiments and asked the Uttar Pradesh government to take legal action over his alleged 'anti-national' remarks. Narsinghanand is already facing several cases, including one related to a conclave in Haridwar in December 2021.

(With inputs from agencies.)