New Delhi: On Sunday (February 5), Rajasthan lodged an FIR against businessman and yoga guru Ramdev under sections concerning inciting enmity and affronting religious sentiment.
The complaint is related to a provocative address Ramdev gave in Barmer, in which he maintained that Muslims and Christians have been “obsessed” with “conversion.”
As reported by PTI, a police officer stated that an FIR was lodged at Chauhatan police station following a grievance submitted by a local inhabitant, Pathai Khan.
The Chauhatan police station SHO, Bhutaram, stated that a complaint was filed under the Indian Penal Code’s Sections 153A, 295A, and 298. This was done due to the occurrence of activities that promote hate between different communities based on religion, race, birthplace, or residence, as well as deliberate and malicious acts which are meant to offend the religious beliefs of any group and utterances which are intended to hurt the religious feelings of an individual.
While a video of Hindu authorities gathered in Barmer on February 2, Ramdev proclaimed that Muslims believe prayer cancels out all their wrongdoings, including “abducting Hindu girls and terrorism.” He continued in Hindi, “If you ask a Muslim what their religion states, they will tell you ‘Pray five times and then do whatever you want.’ They think Islam implies merely praying.”
He continues by saying: “Our Muslim brothers are guilty of many transgressions, however I have noticed that they will always find time to pray. This is because they have been taught that the most important thing is to pray, even if they end up engaging in terrorist activities or turning to a life of crime.”
He expresses in the video that, although this is not what either Islam or the Quran instructs, it is being followed anyways.
He expressed his views about Christianity by stating: “Apparently, Christianity teaches that if a person goes to church, lights a candle and stands before Jesus, their sins will be forgiven. Furthermore, he suggested that followers of the faith typically wear a cross on their chest as a way to spread the religion.”
I have no intention of being critical of any individual. Specific individuals might be fixated on converting the entire world to Islam or Christianity. But what would be the result of such a plan? I cannot see any benefit, he said in the video.
A suo motu investigation was launched by the Rajasthan police regarding the statements.
Ramdev has previously said some controversial things. In November 2019, he opined that women appear attractive in “saris, salwar kameez or if, as he does, they go without clothing.”
