Yati Narsinghanand.
Credit: PTI Photo
Srinagar: The National Conference (NC) on Saturday denounced Yati Narsinghanand's remarks on Prophet Muhammad, and called for his immediate arrest, saying the controversial priest has "deeply wounded" the sentiments of Muslims.
Narsinghanand has been booked again for hate speech after he allegedly made objectionable remarks against Prophet Muhammad that sparked protests in the Ghaziabad district of Uttar Pradesh and other states.
Mutahida Majlis Ulema (MMU), an amalgam of various religious bodies in Kashmir, also condemned the remarks made by Mahant Narsinghanand, and demanded his immediate arrest.
NC's Jammu and Kashmir spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar said, "They have deeply wounded the sentiments of Muslims both in India and around the world." He said such comments not only tarnish India's reputation for religious harmony and tolerance, but also have the potential to incite communal tensions.
Dar called for the immediate arrest and accountability of the individuals/organisations responsible for making inflammatory remarks.
He stressed it is the government's duty to ensure that such people "who seek to sow discord and division are swiftly brought to justice".
He also implored the people to remain calm and not allow such "bigots" to shatter the peace and unity in the society.
The MMU, headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, strongly said such "blasphemous" statements are completely unacceptable to Muslims and all those who believe in respect for religious personalities and prophets.
"The agenda of these evil people, who deliberately hurt the sentiments of Muslims, is to provoke, spread hate and incite communal violence among communities. As there are no consequences for them, such elements indulge in these outrageous acts and get away with them," the MMU said in a statement.
It said despite his track record as a "hate monger", "this man is out on bail which raises serious concerns about the intention of those in-charge of maintaining communal harmony." "We demand his immediate arrest and the cancellation of his bail at the earliest. The sanctity of our faith must be respected, and the law must take its course to hold such offenders accountable," the statement added.
Meanwhile, Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari also demanded an exemplary punishment for Narsinghanand over his remarks.
"Mere arresting Yati Narsinghanand isn't enough. The government must ensure he faces severe punishment for his hate speech and derogatory remarks against the Prophet of Islam," Bukhari said in a post on X.
He said anyone who hurts religious sentiments and threatens the secular fabric of the country must be held accountable.
"His blasphemous comments are deeply offensive and pose a serious risk to communal harmony. It is, therefore, imperative to ensure that he receives an exemplary punishment," the Apni Party president added.