On Tuesday, 8th October, the Chairperson of the Islamic Centre of India (ICI) and Imam of Eidgah, Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali, demanded strict action against Dasna Temple Mahant Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati for his alleged statement on Prophet Mohammad. In his statement, the Imam said, “The statement by Yati Narsinghanand has not only deeply hurt the sentiments of millions of Indians, but it also aimed to incite communal feelings among Muslims worldwide.”
Uttar Pradesh: Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali, Head of the Islamic Centre of India, Lucknow, reacts to Narsinghanand Saraswati's statement pic.twitter.com/2e5ifpvS3h
— IANS (@ians_india) October 4, 2024
Notably, a delegation from the ICI submitted a memorandum to the Director General of Police (DGP), Uttar Pradesh (UP), and demanded stringent legal action against Mahant Saraswati and his incarceration. Speaking on the memorandum seeking action against Narsinghanand, Imam Khalid Rasheed Mahali added, “The memorandum implores the UP government to advise the Central government to enact a rigorous national law to ensure that derogatory remarks against any religion or religious figures are met with the most severe penalties.”
Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali, chairperson of Islamic Centre of India.
— Arvind Chauhan, very allergic to 'ya ya'. (@Arv_Ind_Chauhan) October 8, 2024
Statement by #yatinarsinghanandsarswati against Prophet has not only deeply hurt the sentiments of millions of Indians but also aimed to incite religious feelings among Muslims worldwide. 1/n pic.twitter.com/XARDrtA3Tr
It is pertinent to note that not only Imam Khalid Rasheed Mahali asked for action against Yati Maharaj but also demanded strict ‘blasphemy laws’ which would automatically outlaw not just comments on Mohammad but also any criticism of Islam since any criticism that makes the Islamists uncomfortable would be deemed blasphemous by the community, demanding action against the so-called “offender”. The dog-whistling about “Blasphemy” is more often than not a convenient way to target non-Muslims not just in India but also in Pakistan, and Bangladesh in the neighbourhood and the world over. A special law targeted towards curbing criticism of Islam would only end up legitimising the “hurt feelings” of the Muslim community over any criticism of their faith, leading to violent and murderous calls like “Sar Tan Se Juda”.
Brief history of ICI and Maulana Khalid Rasheed
The Islamic Centre of India (ICI), also known as Darul Uloom Farangi Mahal, is located in Lucknow. According to the centre’s website, the ancestors of the Farangi Mahlis migrated to India in the 11th century and have been engaged in scholarly work for centuries. The website claims that Aurangzeb was highly influenced by the Islamic scholars of Farangi Mahal. The name “Farangi” originates from the fact that in 1695, the family of the Ulama-e-Farangi was relocated to a palace previously occupied by a French merchant; hence, the palace became known as “Farangi Mahal”. The word “Farangi” means “foreigner”.
Maulana Khalid Rasheed is the Shahi Imam of Eidgah in Lucknow. He initially received his education at a Christian missionary institute and later enrolled at the Islamic University Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama for Islamic studies. He also holds a master’s degree from Lucknow University. Rasheed is the youngest executive member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB).
Maulana Rasheed opposed Waqf Amendment Bill
Rasheed recently made headlines when he opposed the Narendra Modi-led NDA government’s Waqf Amendment Bill. Speaking to The Indian Express, he claimed that the Waqf Act was more than sufficient for the management, security, and development of Waqf properties, and there was no need to amend the existing laws.
Although he asserted that the notion that the Waqf Board can claim any land as Waqf property was false, there is ample evidence that Waqf Boards in different states have claimed ownership of lands belonging to Hindu communities and the government. They even claimed ownership of an entire village, including a 1,000-year-old temple.
Speaking to ANI on the matter, he said, “The amendment is part of the process that keeps happening from time to time. Amendments have been made to the Waqf Act earlier as well. It should be ensured that the dignity of the Waqf is not harmed. It is the need of the hour to make amendments, and there should be no politics over it. There should be a discussion on it. What did Asaduddin Owaisi or other opposition leaders say when amendments were made during previous governments? The opposition should not protest against everything. There should be a discussion on it rather than politics.”
When the Joint Parliament Committee sought views from the public and stakeholders about the Waqf Amendment bill, he appealed to the Imams of mosques to have special sessions before Friday prayers to inform the members of Muslim community about the “disadvantages” and “harmfulness” of the bill. Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahali stated that Waqf is a purely religious matter and has no connection with the followers of any other religion. He explained that Islam has a comprehensive Waqf system, which has been in place since the time of Prophet Mohammad and continues to this day. The Maulana emphasised that the Imams of mosques should educate people about the true meaning of Waqf in Islam.
Maulana Rasheed opposed Uniform Civil Code
In 2023, he opposed the demand for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC). He stated that it is not possible to implement the UCC as it is not only against Muslims but also against all religions that have their own personal laws. He claimed that if the UCC is implemented, people will no longer be able to follow their personal laws. Citing the Constitution of India, he argued that the government should not enforce the UCC, as the Constitution grants everyone the right to freedom of religion and UCC will be against it.
Remarks by Narsinghanand that led to multiple protests and incidents of violence
The demand for action against Narsinghanand by Imam Khalid Rasheed and series of protests against him stemmed from a statement made by Mahant Narsinghanand at an event where he stated, ”…Even thousands of years since Ravan committed a small mistake, we burn his effigy. But until now, such criminals have taken birth that Ravan’s existence would fail in front of them. I want to exhort all Hindus from this stage if you want to burn an effigy, burn the effigy of Mohammad.”
Yati Narsinghanand’s past and an assassination attempt against him
It is worth noting that this is not the first time that Islamists have targeted Narsinghanand for his remarks. In 2022, Narsinghanand was arrested after a woman filed a complaint against him for making derogatory remarks against women. Islamists had then alleged that he had called for the genocide of Muslims during an event called ‘Dharma Sansad’ where he had called upon Hindus to keep sharper weapons in self-defence against the looming threats posed by Islamists.
The near-constant barrage of online attacks by Islamists against Yati Narsinghanand came to a head in 2021 when Delhi Police foiled an assassination bid to kill him. Mohd. Dar, a JeM terrorist was arrested by the police and one .30 bore pistol along with two magazines and 15 live rounds were recovered from him. His belonging also included a Bhagwa kurta, a Kalava, a Mala and a Chandan-tika. The recovery of overtly Hindu symbols highlighted the modus operandi employed by Mumbai 26/11 terrorists who carried Hindu paraphernalia on their suicide mission to pin the blame of the attack on Hindus and in the process, promote the “Hindu terror” bogey, a fabrication that was conjured up by the UPA government to shield Islamic extremism.
