Hindutva sadhu with UP govt security calls for killing Muslims for Hindu

A Hindutva outfit’s sadhu who enjoys government security has said that eliminating Muslims is the only way to establish a Hindu rashtra in India.

The sadhu, Bajrang Muni Das, who was earlier arrested on April 13 last year on the charge of inciting Hindus to kill, abduct and rape Muslim women, is out on bail now called for genocide of Muslims.

Muni is mahant of the Maharishi Shri Laxman Das Udasi Ashram in Khairabad, Sitapur, 100km north of Lucknow.

The latest remark attributed to him came a day after a Madhya Pradesh seer patronised by chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan appeared to suggest that next year’s general election would lead to the establishment of a Hindu rashtra, writes The Telegraph India.

The Muslim must be eliminated to automatically turn India into a Hindu rashtra,” Muni, appears to say in a video circulated widely on social media.

Muni confirmed to local reporters that the latest video was genuine.

“We cannot wait for India to become a Hindu rashtra, we have to speed it up and that is possible only when we finish off those with a jihadi mindset,” he is purportedly heard saying in the video.

Muni moves around with two Provincial Armed Constabulary guards — a privilege many sadhus in the state have enjoyed since Hindutva BJP/RSS Yogi Adityanath became chief minister in 2017. Muni’s guards were not withdrawn after his arrest.

Several Muslim ulemas have demanded punishment for Muni over his latest remarks but some Hindu sadhus sought to exonerate him.

“We used to hear that they (Hindu Rashtra proponents) would eliminate Muslims after they succeed in making India a Hindu rashtra. But what Muni is saying is new — that the Muslims should be killed first before India can become a Hindu rashtra,” said Sufiyan Nizami, a Lucknow-based cleric.

“Muni is a habitual offender who knows he has BJP government support. His remarks are a slap in the face of democratic India and the rule of law.”

Paramhans Das, an Ayodhya-based sadhu, however, said: “I spoke to Bajrang Muni over the phone, and he told me he was talking only about jihadi Muslims. I support his statement and call on the country to listen to him.”

On the other hand, another Hindutva Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, a self-styled godman based in Chattarpur, Madhya Pradesh, told his followers: “Prepare for next year and also prepare to see India as a Hindu rashtra.” He seemed to be suggesting that India would be declared a Hindu rashtra after the 2024 general election.