New Delhi: Controversial Hindu priest Yati Narsinghanand said that Muslims must not be allowed to enter the Yamuna River since it is a sacred spot for Hindus. He made the problematic statement after cricketer Mohammed Kaif shared a video of him taking a dip in the river.
Narsinghanand, who is notorious for his controversial, problematic speeches in the past, is the head priest of Dasna Devi Temple in Ghaziabad. He said that Kaif taking a dip in the pool during Maha Kumbh is completely wrong.
He said that Muslims should not be allowed entry into the Maha Kumbh, and the decision was made by the Juna Akhara Council since the Kumbh is a sacred place for Hindus. He added that incidents like spitting in food and other acts must be stopped.
"Muslims should not be allowed entry into the Maha Kumbh. This decision has been made by the Juna Akhara Council. The Kumbh is a sacred place for Hindus. Incidents like spitting in food and other such acts should be stopped. Since the Kumbh is a holy site, their (Muslims's) entry should be banned," Narsinghanand was quoted by ABP news.
Cricketer Kaif shared the video of him taking a dip in the river on X and captioned that he learned to swim in Yamuna. He could be seen jumping into the river from a boar and enjoying a swim.
The Supreme Court had ordered to ensure no hate speech is made by Narsinghanand, but the ultra-right leader was heard spewing hatred targeting the Muslim community at the World’s Religion Parliament held in Haridwar on December 20. The 58-year-old priest, who has a long history of making communally charged statements, has targeted prominent Muslim figures and made derogatory comments about Islam. In October, Narsinghanand suggested burning effigies of the Prophet Muhammad during the Dussehra festival.
He has repeatedly called for the establishment of an "Akhand Hindu Rashtra," invoking the names of historical figures like Veer Savarkar and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, while making controversial claims about the Kaaba in Mecca.