Saffron outfit leader calls for 'counter love jihad', booked

A senior Hindu Yuva Vahini (HYV) leader was booked for reportedly delivering a highly provocative speech in Uttar Pradesh's communally sensitive Muzaffarnagar district.

According to the sources, Nagendra Pratap Tomar, the organisational secretary of HYV, allegedly asked Hindus for a counter to 'love jihad -   according to saffron outfits, Muslim youths trapping hindu girls by pretending to be Hindus - against Muslims.

''Woh love jehad karte hain...Unke yehan ladkiyan bahut hain....hamare ladke baithen hain'' (they indulge in love jehad...they have many girls...our boys are waiting), Tomar said apparently referring to the Muslim community while addressing a meeting at Badhana area in the district on Republic Day.

Asking the Hindu youths to be ready to marry Muslim girls, Tomar also said that the community members should be ready to fight, if required.

''Apne lathi mein jaan paida kijiye'' (put force in your lathis), he said.

The matter came to light after a video of Tomar speech went viral on social networking sites.

Police officials in Muzaffarnagar said that a case had been lodged against Tomar for trying to incite communal hatred.

''We are in possession of the videotape....we are examining it....action will be taken after the probe,'' said a senior police official.

Earlier, members of the HYV - founded by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath- had indulged in Muslim bashing and had taken law into their hands.

A few months back Vahini members had reportedly lynched an old Muslim man in state's Bulandshahar district for helping two lovers of different communities elope.

The HYV activists had also last year barged into a church in Maharajganj district during a prayer and assaulted the priests there alleging that they were ''forcing'' people to convert to Christianity.

The Vahini members have also been accused of threatening and assaulting cops on several occasions.