Put under 'house arrest' while going to file complaint against Narsinghanand, claims SP's Sumaiya Rana

Lucknow: Late poet Munawwar Rana's daughter and Samajwadi Party leader Sumayya Rana on Saturday claimed she and some women activists were put on "house arrest" while they were going to file a police complaint against priest Yati Narsinghanand for his alleged objectionable comments against Prophet Muhammad.

However, police denied her claim and said Rana's complaint has been registered and action is being taken as per rules.

"Today we (women activists) had to go to the Kaiserbagh police station to give a written complaint to register a case against Yati Narsinghanand for making indecent remarks on Prophet Muhammad and then we planned a candle march to Parivartan Chowk," Rana told PTI.

She said, "Police came to our residence around 11:30 am. We told them that if you are not letting us go then call your senior officer, following which they called their assistant commissioner of police (ACP). When the ACP came, we gave him our written complaint with a demand of registering a case against Narsinghanand.''

Rana also said, ''We clearly told ACP Ratnesh Singh that if action is not taken by registering a case on this complaint, then we will surround your police station.'' 

Narsinghanand has been booked for hate speech after he allegedly made objectionable remarks against Prophet Muhammad that sparked protests in the Ghaziabad district of Uttar Pradesh and other states.

Rana said that Narsinghanand's comments not only hurt religious sentiments but also can spoil communal harmony. "He has hurt religious sentiments by making objectionable statements against the Prophet and strict action should be taken against him," she said.

"In this age of social media, such a matter spreads across the country and abroad, tarnishing the nation's image," the Samajwadi Party leader said.

ACP Singh, while talking to PTI, denied that Rana has been put under house arrest.

"Rana had to give a written complaint in this case which she did," he said.

On the question of filing an FIR, he said, "Police will take whatever action is required as per the rules. The complaint has been given to the Kaiserbagh police station in-charge." "There is no problem of law and order anywhere," the ACP added.