At Delhi's Jantar Mantar, various Hindutva groups organized events where calls for killing Muslims and Christians were made on February 5. Reports claim that disrespectful and violent comments about minority communities were also made in different stages.
In a widely circulated video on social media, a monk is seen urging the Hindu community to take up arms to kill Christians and Muslims. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suraj Pal Amu is seen threatening "those who have formed a lobby to stop" Suresh Chavhanke, the Sudarshan TV Editor-in-Chief, in a different video.
"तुम कब काटोगे मुसलमानों,ईसाइयों को,घर मे हथियार रखो चाकू से काम नही चलेगा एक हाथ मे शस्त्र और दूसरे में शास्त्र होना चाहिए"
जंतर मंतर पर बालाजी धाम शिष्य मंडल दिल्ली के प्रदीप खटकड़ द्वारा आयोजित सभा में मुस्लिमों और ईसाइयों के नरसंहार की अपील! @HMOIndiahttps://t.co/LkIjXX14Z5 pic.twitter.com/DY0AT2MJiA— Zakir Ali Tyagi (@ZakirAliTyagi) February 6, 2023
In an event supported by Hindu spiritual leader Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, a man wearing saffron is seen trying to agitate the Hindus present there. He asks, "The British said divide and rule, the Congress said divide and rule, Christians said so, Muslims said slay and rule...When will you [Hindus] slay and kill? After all of you die? When will you kill them? When will you kill Muslims and Christians?"
After that, he told the Hindus to have access to weapons at all times in their homes and kill anyone who would "attack" them.
"Keep shastra [arms] in one hand and shaastra [religious scriptures] in the other. Whoever attacks our community, our scriptures, our mothers and sisters, convict them of sedition and shoot them at the border...kill them on roads," the man said.
Shastri has gained fame over his popular YouTube videos for allegedly spreading superstition and hate.
At a separate event attended by the supporters of Chavhanke, BJP Haryana unit's media coordinator and chief of the caste supremacist group (Karni Sena), Suraj Pal Amu, is seen making controversial comments.
Location: New Delhi
At a rally held in support of Suresh Chavhanke, Hindu far-right leaders and priests delivered hate speeches calling for violence against Muslims. pic.twitter.com/WLYUerYi6p— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) February 6, 2023
Chavhanke is under investigation after delivering a provocative speech at an event conducted by the Hindu Yuva Vahini in Delhi on December 19, 2021. There he swore an oath to a group of people to "die for and kill" to make India a "Hindu Rashtra" (Hindu Nation).
Editor Sudarshan News Suresh Chavhanke repeatedly attended anti-Muslim gatherings in different states, administering oath to make India a Hindu rashtra & exhorting violence, but he was not arrested. @kaushikrj6 reports on the year hate got away scot-freehttps://t.co/DKEFVdpBZ6 pic.twitter.com/i31fRKlsXx
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) December 28, 2022
Amu then incited the mob to attend the event and called for violence against those who opposed Chavhanke's idea of a Hindu Nation. The BJP leader then asked them, "Would you let someone lay their hands on Suresh Chavhanke? Would you spare those who bother him? Would you spare those who stop us from making Hindu Rashtra? Won't you teach them a lesson?"
Location: Jantar Mantar, Delhi
BJP's Haryana Chief Media Coordinator Suraj Pal Amu calls for using violence if any action (even by Supreme Court) is taken against far-right leader Suresh Chavhanke or if anyone stops them from turning India into a Hindu nation. pic.twitter.com/g8VSxzepDu— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) February 5, 2023
Reports claim that no legal actions were taken against any event speakers. However, a notice was issued by the Delhi Police against Molitics, an online portal known for reporting these events.
The notice was issued under Section 149 of the Criminal Procedure Code, asking Molitics to stop posting allegedly offensive, malicious, and inciteful content otherwise, actions will be taken.
Section 149 claims that every police officer may interpose for the purpose of preventing, and shall, to the best of his ability, prevent, the commission of any cognizable offense.
Anudeep Jaglan, the founder and director of Molitics, replied to the Delhi forces in a tweet about the notice. "I'm still confused! Why would you send this to us? I hope such notice must have gone to these saffron-clad criminals too."