Lucknow, April 9, 2022: The Hindu monk delivered hate speech on April 2 in Khairabad. Seated comfortably in a vehicle, the saffron clad monk can be seen in the video clip addressing his supporters gathered outside a mosque in Khairabad area of BJP ruled Indian state Uttar Pradesh’s Sitapur district.
Video of a Hindutva monk openly threatening to abduct and rape Muslim women has sparked massive outrage amidst spike in violent hate crimes by Hindu extremists against Muslims in India. The video clip which has by now gone viral on social media evoked instant anger and outrage among Muslims in particular and public in general.
Seated comfortably in a vehicle, the saffron clad monk can be seen in the video clip addressing his supporters gathered outside a mosque in Khairabad area of Uttar Pradesh’s Sitapur district, 100 kilometres from state capital Lucknow. The speech is said to have been made on April 2.
A Mahant in front of a Masjid in the presence of Police personals warns that He would K!dnap Muslim Women and ₹@pe them in Open.
According to the locals near Sheshe wali Masjid, Khairabad, Sitapur. This happened on 2nd Apr 2022, 2 PM. @sitapurpolice @Uppolice pic.twitter.com/wkBNLnqUW0
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) April 7, 2022
The video which was put out on Twitter by Alt News journalist Mohammaed Zubair on Thursday shows the monk, identified as Hindutva outfit Bajrang Muni Das, making the communally and sexually incendiary comments on a microphone.
He then says that if he finds Muslims harassing Hindu women in Khairabad, “I will get your daughter and daughter-in-law out of your home and rape her,” Das declares to the chants of ‘Jai Shree Ram’, a slogan raised in reverence of a Hindu deity but has lately become a war cry for the Hindu nationalists.
Clarion India spoke to officials at Khairabad police station for their comment on the incident. The officials said they have taken a note of the video and are looking into the matter.
“We are in talks with higher ups and will let you know our next move after some time,” said in-charge of the station.
Notably, a cop in khakis can also be seen in the hate video. Das also said that a plot to murder him has been hatched and claims that Rs 28 lakh has been collected for this.
The Sitapur Police claimed on Twitter also that they are probing the matter and assured that action would be taken based on facts.
Messages of anger and outrage from social media users and activists are pouring in against the open call for rape of women on. Most of them are demanding strict legal action against the monk.
What’s intriguing is that the offender is not a new player in the Hindutva ecosystem. He runs a YouTube channel where he makes hate speeches exhorting his supporters to target Muslims. Previously He had claimed that he was attacked by some men over allegations of land grab.
Demand for Arrest of Monk Threatening Rape of Muslim Women Gains Momentum
New Delhi, April 9, 2022: Outrage against a Hindutva monk who publically issued rape threat against Muslim women is growing rapidly in India with many joining the chorus of condemnation. They all were unanimous in asking the Yogi Adityanath led BJP government in Uttar Pradesh to take action against him.
Video footage of the saffron-clad seated comfortably in a car addressing his supporters gathered outside a mosque in Khairabad area of Uttar Pradesh’s Sitapur district, 100 kilometres from Lucknow threatening to rape Muslim women has gone viral in the social media.
Congress spokeswoman Supriya Shrinate hoped that the cops who stood as mute spectators in the crowd when the accused issued rape threat would also be punished.
The India’s National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Rekha Sharma dashed off a letter to UP DGP Mukul Goel drawing his attention to the offensive video attached with a Twitter post, she wrote, “The priest, Bajrang Muni, (is seen) threatening to kidnap and rape Muslim women while addressing a gathering in Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh.”
In the letter, she wrote about the police presence on the occasion. Unfortunately the policemen opted to remain silent spectators to the goings-on. “It has been reported that the police personnel were also present at the location, however, none of them stopped him from making such an outrageous statement against women,” she pointed out.
Sharma said she condemns the speech by the hate monk Bajrang Muni Das as much as she reprimanded the police for failing to take action against him.
“The police should not be a mute spectator in such incidents and appropriate measures must be taken by them to curb people from using such outrageous language for women,” she said in the letter, a copy of which was sent to SP Sitapur.
The video shows Das speaking in a microphone telling the crowd that if he finds Muslims harassing Hindu women in Khairabad, “I will openly get your (Muslims’) daughter and daughter-in-law out of your home and rape her.”
Meanwhile, Sitapur Police have filed a case in the matter, six days after the speech was made.
Congress spokeswoman Supriya Shrinate, while condemning the rape threat, came down heavily on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for his silence over the issue. She said the monk has mocked at both Hindu religion and the law and order of the state.
“I appeal and hope for justice as do the people of the state (Uttar Pradesh) that this man should be taught a lesson,” she said while addressing the Chief Minister. “We are hearing that he has apologised to the mothers and daughters (in general), but you should set an example… Nobody talks about women like this… I hope that this man gets strict punishment,” she said.
उप्र के मुख्यमंत्री और गोरखनाथ पीठ के महंत योगी आदित्यनाथ जी,
बजरंगमुनि ने बलात्कार की धमकी दे कर ना सिर्फ़ सनातन धर्म के गेरुए वस्त्रों की गरिमा का बल्कि सूबे की क़ानून व्यवस्था की धज्जियाँ उड़ायीं हैं
उसको और तमाशबीन पुलिस को सज़ा दीजिए @myogiadityanath #ArrestBajrangMuni pic.twitter.com/BVzvpabv1b
— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) April 8, 2022
All India Majlis Itehadul Muslimeen supremo Assadudin Owaisi questioned the New Delhi and the states’ silence on the matter. Taking a jibe at Adityanath’s avowed policy of zero tolerance towards goons or ‘Thok Do’ (shoot to kill) policy, he asked what action his government proposes to take against the culprit. Such monks who are giving rape threats instead of preaching religion, he said should not get government protection in the first place.
Shrinate also hoped that the cops who stood as mute spectators in the crowd would also be punished. “While committing illegal acts people shiver by the name of police, but where do these men get the courage to say such things,” she asks while concluding the video message.
This genocidal monk Bajrang Muni said in 2018, "Ram Mandir can be built only if Hindus pick up weapons and make a pile of corpses upto Ayodhya of whoever comes in the way of Ram Mandir."
— Kaushik Raj (@kaushikrj6) April 7, 2022
Meanwhile, social media is brimming with calls for the arrest of the monk as the hashtag #ArrestBajrangMuni trended on Twitter. Users dug out old videos of the monk where he is seen making sexually incendiary and communally violent remarks against Muslims while brandishing axe.