After namaaz in temple, more readings of Hanuman Chalisa in UP mosques

MATHURA: More cases of people reading ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ in mosques were coming to light, after four men were booked for offering ‘namaaz’ at a temple in Mathura earlier this week. The Mathura Police, on Thursday, arrested three members of an outfit called ‘Yogi Youth Brigade’ after they allegedly barged into a mosque and read out Hanuman Chalisa in the Taroli village.

Superintendent of Police (Rural) Shirish Chandra said that Bharat Sisodia, president of Rashtriya Maharana Pratap Yuva Sena and two others, Ashok Singh and Sonu Raghav, were booked under section 151 (arrest to prevent the commission of cognizable offences) of CrPC).

He added that police were keeping a close eye on such people.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gaurav Grover said, “Strict action will be taken against those trying to disrupt communal harmony. We have issued directions to all police stations to maintain a vigil in this regard.

This was the second such incident in the week.

Earlier on Monday, a group of four youths had recited Hanuman Chalisa in Eidgah in the Govardhan area. They were also booked under the same sections.

In Agra, the state president of the Yogi Youth Brigade was arrested for allegedly reciting Hanuman Chalisa at a mausoleum on the Shamshabad Road and two others were also held for allegedly painting four other mazars saffron the previous day.

Ajay Tomar was arrested after his video of reciting Hanuman Chalisa at a mazaar in the Nawada village went viral on social media.

He was booked under section 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion), 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings) along with sections 505 (1)(b) (intent to cause or likely to cause fear or alarm among the public), 505 (2) (whoever makes, publishes or circulates any statement, rumour or report, with intent to incite, or which is likely to incite offence against any class) of IPC. The complaint was filed by Hitesh Chand Azad, a policeman.

Shamshabad police station in charge Rakesh Kumar said that Tomar has been remanded to 14 days’ judicial custody after being produced in a court.

The other two accused — Shubham Pandit and Balkrishna — were booked under sections 295 (defiling a place of worship with an intent to insult religion of any class) and 298 (with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of any person) of IPC.

Meanwhile, Raghvendra Singh, Uttar Pradesh state president of the Hindu Yuva Vahini, a youth organisation founded by Yogi Adityanath before becoming the Chief Minister, has clarified that this ‘Yogi Youth Brigade’ has no connection with their organisation.

“We don’t support such activities as every religion has its own religious place for reciting the holy books and offering prayers,” he said.

Agra’s Hindu Yuva Vahini city in-charge, Anant Upadhyaya, said, “Such activities are being done to defame the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.”