The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday told the Allahabad High Court that Chief Minister Adityanath, known as Yogi to his followers, cannot be prosecuted in a riots case dating back to 2007 when the religious leader was accused of hate speech. According to News18, UP Chief Secretary Rahul Bhatnagar told the court that a forensic examination of the tapes of the alleged hate speech concluded that they had been doctored. There is just one problem with this claim from the UP government: Far from alleging tampering of tapes, Adityanath has appeared on a nationally televised news show and admitted to making the speech.

The case dates back to January 2007, when riots broke out in Gorakhpur and nearby areas. After an incident involving the alleged harassment of women, followed by clashes, police imposed section 144 preventing people from gathering in the town. Violating these orders, Adityanath delivered a speech outside Gorakhpur railway station that was caught on tape.

“Agar ek hindu ka khoon bahega to ek hindu ke khoon ke badle hum aane waale samay mein prashashan se FIR darz nahi karayenge balki kam se kam das aise logon ke hataya usse karawayenge jo log…Agar Hindu gharon aur dukanon mein aag lagaata hai to main yeh nahi manata hun ki aapko in sab krityon karne se koi rok sakta hai.”

“If the blood of one Hindu is spilled, then to avenge the murder of one Hindu, in the future we will not file FIRs with the administration but will get at least ten people murdered… If Hindu homes and shops are burnt then I do not think anyone can stop you from carrying out such acts…”

The next day, clashes continued, leaving two died and damage to property across the area. A local journalist filed a First Information Report naming Adityanath among others for allegedly instigating the violence. Although Adityanath’s name was not initially recorded in the case, the matter eventually went to the Supreme Court which paved the way for an investigation into his speech along with the riots. But the local authorities still needed permission from the state government to prosecute Adityanath, which has not been granted for several years now.

On May 4, the Allahabad High Court asked why the government had delayed granting sanction for so long, and ordered the chief secretary to appear before it on May 11. The secretary, according to reports, said that forensic evidence suggests tapes of the speech were tampered.

But Adityanath has openly admitted, on national television, that he gave the speech. In an episode of Aap ki Adalat a show on India TV in August 2014, anchor Rajat Sharma asked him about the alleged hate speech, after showing him the recorded video. Will the UP government argue that this too was doctored?

(Watch from 17:01).

Play

Rajat Sharma: Mahant ji poore flow mein bol rahe hai aap. Bhagwa vastra pehan ke, sadhu ka roop dharan kar ke iss tarah ki nafrat ki baat karna theek hai.

[“Mahant ji, you are speaking in full flow. Wearing saffron robes, as a monk, is it right to make a hate speech?”]

Adityanath: Dekhiye main uss baat ko conditional kaha hai. Agar koi aapko marenga to mujhe lagta hai ki ssamne koi manav hoga to uss manav ko aap mann sakte hai ki aapne thapad maara aap dosra thapad bhi sehan kar sakte hai lekin agar danav hai to ek haath se marta hai dosre haath se jawab bhi dijeye. Main ek sansayi hoon. Agar humne sahastra ka prashikshan diya gaya to sahastra ke saath saath shastra ka bhi. Agar humare ek haath mein mala hai dosre haath mein bhala bhi le kar chalte hai. Usse samaj ko shisht bhi kiya jaa sake aur doston ko unke kritya ki sazaa bhi di jaa sakein...

[“Look I had made a conditional statement. If a human hits you, then it is understandable that you will offer him the second cheek, but if a monster hits you, you should give it back. I am a monk. We have been trained with and without weapons. If I have a rosary in one hand, I wield a club in another, to induce the right conduct in society, and to punish the evil for their actions...”]

[30:25]

Rajat Sharma: Modi ji kehte hai sabka saath, sabka vikaas. Aap kehte hai ek maaroge main das marunga.

[“Modi ji talks of participation and development for all. You say, kill one, I will kill ten.”]

Adityanath: (with a smile) Maine kaha hai ki bhai ek ko maaroge to uska...bhai..yeh to hoga hi...agar aap marenge to yeh ummed mat kariye aap surakshit rahenge

[“I have said if you kill one...it is natural...if you kill, don’t expect from us that you will be safe.”]