Dharma Sansad cancelled after police intervention, says Yati Narasinghanand

Haridwar: Controversial Dasna priest Yati Narasinghanand on Thursday said the three-day World Dharma Sansad convened by him here was cancelled after police intervention. Sripanchdashnam Juna Akhara cancelled the World Dharma Sansad scheduled to start here on Thursday after the police had the tents uprooted at the venue and chased away the cooks who had gathered for the event, Narasinghanand told reporters.

The police also pasted a notice at the venue prohibiting any such assembly, he said.

Terming it "goondaism" being done in the Supreme Court's name, Narasinghanand said that he would undertake a padyatra to the apex court on Saturday against it.


"If what I have said about Islam or the Koran is wrong, then I am ready to bear whatever punishment the Supreme Court gives me. But I will not let anything wrong happen even if the Supreme Court puts me in jail for life," said Narasinghanand.

"Stating the truth does not fall into the category of hate speech. Don't I have the right to mourn the death of Hindus killed in Bangladesh or Pakistan?" he asked.

The congregation was to be held at the Akhara headquarters here in protest against the alleged atrocities against the Hindus in Bangladesh.

Narasinghanand, who is also the Mahamandaleshwar of Sripanchdashnam Juna Akhara, was jailed about two years ago for allegedly delivering a "hate speech" against the Muslims at another Dharma Sansad in Haridwar.

Narasinghanand, who is often in the news for making provocative statements against the Muslims, had written a letter in blood to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami earlier on Wednesday about the police pressure on him not to go ahead with the programme.

The controversial seer said in his letter that Hindus had become second class citizens in their own country.

"I do not think we need permission for a small scale gathering like this one which was to be held inside the Akhara premises and not in a public place," he said.