Cases have been filed against Mahant Ramgiri Maharaj in Yeola of Nashik district and Rahata of Ahmednagar district
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – Mahant Ramgiri Maharaj, the priest booked for making inflammatory and sacrilegious comments against Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and Islam, has a close relationship with the ruling dispensation in Maharashtra – the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction).
The video of the outrageous remarks by the Hindu priest at Shah Panchale village in Sinnar taluka of Nashik district during a recent religious event has gone viral on social media sparking protests in various districts of the state. Protests were held in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nashik and Ahmednagar demanding the priest’s arrest. Cases have been filed against him at two places in Yeola of Nashik district and Rahata of Ahmednagar district.
The FIR in Vaijapur in Aurangabad District was filed under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Section 302 (uttering words with deliberate intent to hurt the religious feelings of any person). The FIR is based on a complaint lodged by a resident, the police said.
The complainant in the case, Rafehasan Ali Khan, said he came to know about the video of Ramgiri Maharaj wherein he said one crore Muslims have abandoned Islam and also passed disparaging comments against Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
“These words by Ramgiri Maharaj have hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims and created a rift between the two communities,” the complainant said.
As protests were being held against the priest on Friday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde shared the stage with him asserting that he will not be touched by anyone.
“The Varkari sect works for social awakening in society and Ramgiri Maharaj is carrying their work forward,” said Shinde.
He assured that the saints in the state would be protected.
“Maharashtra has got a great tradition of saints. The state government is being run due to the blessings of the saints. Therefore, no one will dare to touch even the hair of the saints in this Maharashtra,” he was quoted by the Deccan Chronicle as saying.
Clarion India also found that Maharaj has a long relationship with the BJP. On August 4, 2017, when Devendra Fadnavis was the chief minister, his office posted a photo of Maharaj together with Fadnavis.
“CM hands over world record certificate to Mahant Ramgiri Maharaj for record participation of 10 lakh devotees from various parts of the state,” posted the CMO.
On 30 September 2018, the CMO posted another photo in which then Fadnavis shared the stage with the Maharaj at an event.
Meanwhile, former member of the Lok Sabha and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) state unit president, Imtiaz Jaleel, has written a letter to the city police commissioner to seek action against Ramgiri Maharaj.
Jaleel said Ramgiri Maharaj’s statements were made deliberately to malign the image of the Muslim community.
Jaleel claimed that such statements were aimed at creating a rift among Hindu and Muslim communities.
“This is done deliberately to foment communal riots. So strict action should be taken against him,” he said.
Talking to reporters in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar later, Jaleel said: “The statement made by Ramgiri Maharaj has been scripted by someone else. He is working on someone else’s order. Permissions are given to Sakal Hindu Samaj to hold protests on the day of community prayers of Muslims. It is a political conspiracy…”
