On June 2, Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) filed a complaint with the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) against the serial hate offender Pravin Togadia, for the deeply Islamophobic and hate filled speeches he made across North India and Assam from December 2022- May 2023.
Pravin Togadia is the founder and President of ‘Antar Rashtriya Hindu Parishad’ and can be regularly seen delivering misinformed and hate filled speeches at several places which target the minorities, specifically the Muslim community.
CJP is dedicated to finding and bringing to light instances of Hate Speech, so that the bigots propagating these venomous ideas can be unmasked and brought to justice. To learn more about our campaign against hate speech, please become a member. To support our initiatives, please donate now!
As a part of CJP’s rigorous Hate Watch campaign, it has been diligently maintaining a record of the hate speeches being made by him on public platforms. CJP thus filed a complaint highlighting the following speeches, and also provided the excerpts of the statements made at the said events:
- Malwa, Madhya Pradesh- May 16, 2023
He was heard advocating for laws against “love jihad” and provoking the people listening to his speech by saying, “we want someone to break an eye for an eye.” He further made a baseless claim that in the next 50 years, the increase in population of the Muslims would convert India into Afghanistan and added that “2,000 years ago there was no Christianity” and everyone was a Hindu. - Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh- May 19, 2023
At this event organized at the Choyal Hospital where he stated that in Riyadh a small town was found where a 6,000 year old Shivling was discovered. He claimed, “over 500 crore Hindus have been killed in 2,000 years.” - Mandideep, Madhya Pradesh- May 14, 2023
At the said event, Togadia again delivered insightful speeches and asked the audience to build temples in Kashi- Mathura instead of mosques. He says, “We had said that we will build the temple, even if you do not agree to it, we will stand on your chest and build our temple.” - Amla, Madhya Pradesh- May 13, 2023
At the event, Togadia administered an oath to the Hindus asking them to work with their “body, soul, and wealth” for Hindus. He also brought up the idea of Hanuman Chalisa Kendras so that when a Hindu is in danger from a Muslim or Christrian, other Hindus can gather there to protect such a person. He compared this concept to Churches and mosques. - Itarsi, Madhya Pradesh- May 12, 2023
At the said event, Togadia claimed that the Muslims are trying to reach the level of population prevalent during the Mughal era. He added that in the next 50 years, their percentage of population will increase to 40% from the current 22%. He concluded that at a time when the Hindu population is 78% women are not feeling safe, then at the future levels, it will become worse. - Muzaffarpur, Bihar- March 02, 2023
At the event organized by AHP at MPS Science College, he claimed that India would become “Darul Islam”and based on the public’s mood, he can see this happening in the next 10 years. - Jind, Haryana, January 28, 2023
The event was organized by AHP. He praised the Gujarat model, described his role in the 2000 Gujarat riots, and provoked the audience to join his organization. - Palwal, Haryana- January 23, 2023
At the said event organized by AHP, Togadia spoke for “love jihad” laws, population control laws, and the need to kick out the Bangladeshis from India. He further administered an oath to the audience saying, “Prosperous Hindu, Safe Hindu, Every Hindu.” The crowd at the end showed its support by chanting “Jai Shree Ram”. - Karimganj, Assam- December 11, 2022
At the said event, Togadia in his speech said that he will legislate that “the SP, PM, DM from any other community” other than Hinduism.
The complaint underscores how such Islamophobic and hate filled statements add to an already polarized and divided environment of the country. Such statements are a grave threat to the peace, unity, and integrity of India. The blatantly misinformed statements would invoke fear in the mind of anyone but his speech received applause and support from the audience. He has consistently delivered such speeches since the early 2000’s in Gujarat and has now extended them to North India and Assam.
CJP also highlighted that they have actively reached out to the district and state authorities as well with respect to taking action against Togadia. On May 5, 2022 CJP had filed a complaint to NCM regarding Togadia’s speech made on 24 April, 2022 where he asked the audience to weed out the “outsiders” i.e., the Bengali-speaking Muslims and called for their ethnic cleansing under the guise of an oath. In a prompt action, NCM had, on May 13, 2022 asked the Assam Chief Secretary to take necessary action against him. However, no such action was taken by the state.
Through the speeches highlighted in the complaint to NCM, CJP has sought swift and stringent action against Togadia under the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The complaint states that, “Statements such as these are bound to make things worse; to further generate communal disharmony or feelings of ill will, enmity and hatred between the supporters of different political parties. The utterances also amount to an act which is prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony between different groups and is likely to disturb public tranquility. Moreover, such open intimidation and hate-filled statements only makes the targeted group more vulnerable to violent acts.”
CJP urged that the speeches delivered by Togadia be acted upon and criminal charges be framed against him for making such statements that can affect the lives of the minorities in our country, and threaten the social harmony in general.
The entire complaint can be read here:
Related:
CJP complains to NCM against Kalicharan’s series of hate speeches across Maharashtra
CJP Impact: NCM acts on CJP’s complaint against Hate Offender Pravin Togadia
Pravin Togadia’s Hate Speech selling like hot cakes in Madhya Pradesh
More hate speech against Muslims delivered across India, authorities remain deafeningly silent
Another complaint to Times Now on polarised debate over Madrassa survey in UP