Yati Saraswati

RadicaliserHindu NationalismHindutvaIndianExtremistRight WingHinduism

Jul 26

**DOB:** 2 March 1963

**Nationality:** Indian

**Location:** Ghaziabad, India
**Ideology/Affiliation:** Anti-Muslim/Right-wing Populism/Hindu Fundamentalism

**Type of Leader:** Hindutva Leader/Preacher/Head Priest of Dasna Devi Mandir Temple in Uttar Pradesh

Biography

Yati Saraswati is an extremist Hindu fundamentalist. He grew up in an influential upper-middle-class family in Uttar Pradesh province. His grandfather was a prominent Congress official before the independence and his father was the national level leader of the Union Government Employees Union.

Saraswati pursued his studies in Russia at the Moscow Institute of Chemical Machine and graduated with an MTech degree in chemical engineering. After completing his studies, he worked as a chemical engineer for Russian companies and later relocated to London to work for British companies. In 1997, he returned to India and began lecturing in mathematics.

His first move in the world of politics was when he received an offer from the Samajwadi Party to lead their youth brigade. His first exposure to Hindutva occurred when he met Baikunth Lal Sharma, a founding member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a former BJP MP from Delhi. Narsinghanand claims that Sharma told him about terrible crimes committed by Muslims, which left him speechless. A few days later, Narsinghanand was permanently drawn into the folds of Hindutva and now serves as the Head Priest (Mahant) of Dasna Devi Mandir Temple in Ghaziabad.

Banned

None

Evidence of Hate Speech/Incitement:

July 2021: During a speech in front of a crowd of supporters, Yati Narsinghanand stated that: “We are in a position to gouge out their eyes and finish them (Muslims) off”. In addition, he urged his followers to kill Muslims and destroy mosques on the eve of Eid al-Adha.

April 2021: Yati Narsinghanand was accused of making derogatory statements against the Prophet Muhammad and Muslims generally. A complaint was lodged against Narsinghanand for hurting the sentiment of Muslims around the world and provoking violence against Muslims in his speech at the Press Club of India, causing outrage in the Indian street and on social media.

February 2020: Before the Delhi riots that took place in February 2020, Narsinghanand repeatedly called for Muslims to be killed and publicly supported the trashing of Muslim minors on his temple premises. He currently faces six cases of rioting and communal hatred under the arms act.

October 2019: A statement by Yati Narsinghanand went viral due to his attack on Islam, to take revenge on Kamlesh Tiwari’s murder, who is claimed to be killed by two Indian Muslims on 18 October 2019. Narsinghanand protested aggressively and clearly stated that “India will soon be clean of Islam”. In addition, he urged his followers and Kamlesh Tiwari’s lovers to take revenge on Indian Muslims and “eliminate” them.

Video Links:

Narsinghanand attacks Islam and urges followers to take revenge on Kamlesh Tiwari’s murder

Social Media

“We are in position to gauge out their eyes and finish them [Muslims] off.”

A Hindutva leader urged his followers to kill Muslims and destroy mosques on the eve of Eid al-Adha.

(via @asfreeasjafri) pic.twitter.com/09zQmph2rq
— CJ Werleman (@cjwerleman) July 22, 2021