Outrage Over FIR Against Mohammed Zubair For Tweets On Yati Narsinghanand’s Hate Speech
The Uttar Pradesh Police have sparked widespread condemnation after filing an FIR against Alt News co-founder and fact-checker Mohammed Zubair for allegedly “endangering the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India” under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The case stems from Zubair’s tweet criticising alleged hate speech by Yati Narsinghanand, a controversial priest from Ghaziabad’s Dasna Devi Temple.
In September, Narsinghanand delivered a speech targeting Prophet Muhammad, prompting FIRs against him in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Telangana. However, instead of addressing the hate speech, the police have charged Zubair, who posted about the remarks on X (formerly Twitter). The FIR, lodged by Udita Tyagi, General Secretary of the Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati Foundation, accuses Zubair of inciting violence by sharing an old video of Narsinghanand.
The FIR includes multiple charges, such as promoting enmity on religious grounds, defamation, and criminal intimidation. Recently, the investigating officer added Section 66 of the IT Act and Section 152 of the BNS, a provision critics argue is a repurposed sedition law designed to stifle dissent.
Prominent voices have spoken out in solidarity with Zubair. Actor Prakash Raj expressed outrage, stating: “Instead of filing a case on the hate speech monger, file a case on the one who reports it? Wow! Mother of democracy.”
Journalist Rohini Singh criticised the UP government, saying: “The same old FIR Awasthi modus operandi being followed by UP govt officials. Go after the journalist reporting the hate speech and not those spewing venom. Shameful! In solidarity with Zubair.”
Another journalist, Dhanya Rajendra, highlighted the perceived targeting of Zubair: “So Zubair criticised Yati Narsinghanand, who has openly displayed bigotry. Now Zubair is booked for sedition. A clear case of targeting him.”
Alt News also released a statement condemning the charges as an attempt to intimidate those exposing hate and misinformation. “The invocation of BNS 152, a new sedition law, demonstrates how state machinery is weaponised to suppress dissent. We remain steadfast in our mission to uphold truth and accountability,” the organisation said.
The case has been scheduled for a hearing on December 3.
Here’s the Alt News statement:
“The Uttar Pradesh police, in an affidavit submitted to the Allahabad High Court, has accused our co-founder Mohammed Zubair of “endangering the sovereignty and unity of India” through his social media posts. This pertains to an FIR filed against him for a tweet highlighting hate speech by Yati Narsinghanand, a person facing multiple FIRs for his communal hate speeches.
The section invoked is BNS 152 (Section 152 of the Bharat Nyaya Sanhita), a new avatar of the colonial-era sedition law. Critics have long warned that this provision could be weaponized to stifle dissent and target voices critical of those in power, just as sedition laws were misused in the past. Zubair’s case is a stark example of how these fears are becoming a reality.
This affidavit is yet another example of how state machinery is being used to intimidate individuals and organizations committed to exposing hate and misinformation. Alt News remains steadfast in our mission to uphold truth and accountability in public discourse.
The case will be heard on Tuesday, and we stand in solidarity with Zubair as he faces this relentless legal intimidation. We urge all supporters of free speech, independent journalism, and fact-checking to continue standing with us in this fight.”
