FIR against Ramgiri Maharaj in Thane district for remarks against Prophet

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An official on Saturday said that the police in Maharashtra's Thane district have registered a case against Hindu religious leader Ramgiri Maharaj over his alleged objectionable remarks against Prophet Mohammad and Islam, reported news agency PTI.

The remarks were allegedly made recently by Ramgiri Maharaj at Shah Panchale village in Sinnar taluka of Nashik district during a religious event and its video went viral on social media, police had said earlier, reported PTI.

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The Mumbra police have booked the religious leader under BNS section 302 (uttering words with intent to wound religious feelings) and many others, including the ones dealing with outraging religious feelings, promoting enmity between groups over religion, intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace and criminal intimidation.

Ramgiri Maharaj also faces FIRs in Nashik and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar districts of the state. The religious leader has said that he made the statement in reaction to the atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh, reported PTI.

"The only motive was that Hindus should unite. Now, I will face whatever may come. If a case has been filed, I will see whenever I get a notice," he had said on Friday, reported PTI.

A controversy erupted on Friday over alleged objectionable remarks made by Hindu religious leader Ramgiri Maharaj against Prophet Mohammad and Islam, with police filing cases against him in two districts of Maharashtra following complaints by members of the Muslim community.

Amid the row over his comments, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde shared the dais with the religious leader during an event in Nashik district on Friday, and called him a "saint", while minister Girish Mahajan and former Ahmednagar MP Sujay Vikhe Patil touched his feet on stage, reported PTI.

Speaking at the function, Ramgiri Maharaj, the mahant of Sarla Bet Dham in Shrirampur taluka of Ahmednagar district, defended his controversial remarks, saying that they were in response to the atrocities being committed against Hindus in Bangladesh, and that his objective was to unite members of the Hindu community, reported PTI.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Imtiaz Jaleel claimed that Ramgiri Maharaj's comments were part of a political conspiracy and demanded strong action against him, reported PTI.

(With inputs from PTI)