In another interview to far-right YouTuber Neeraj Atri, Rizvi claimed that any party that comes to power after getting Muslim votes will harm the country.
"I have trust in the present government. I am showing a mirror to Muslims who became demons from humans 1,400 years ago," he is heard saying.
Rizvi also justified beef vigilantism and mob lynchings, calling them a strong message to 'extremists'.
"Whether anybody was beaten or killed, the message to extremists is loud and clear: if you do this then it can happen to you also," he is heard saying.
Haridwar Press Conference
At a press conference at the Haridwar Press Club on November 12, Rizvi reiterated that if a political party wins through the votes of Muslims, it will be a disaster and that Hindus will have to "pay the price with their blood and lives."
In the same meeting attended by prominent Hindutva leaders from Uttarakhand, Narsinghanand said, "Islam is an organised gang of criminals. Either the government can fight it or one gang can fight another gang, however, no government in India is ready to do that so we will have to create a gang to fight it. We will destroy every such book [referring to the Quran]. This is not a fight for just Ayodhya or Kashi or Haridwar, we are fighting to even take back the Shiv Mandir in Mecca [referring to the Kaaba]."
In January 2021, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rizvi had urged that madrasas be shut down in India. "If primary madrasas are not closed down quickly, then in 15 years more than half of the country's Muslims will become supporters of ISIS's ideology... there [madrasas], extremism is taught in the name of Islam," the letter, originally in Hindi, read.
Like Rizvi, Narsinghanand Saraswati has been in the news for violent statements against Muslims. He was booked earlier this year for abusing Islam and threatening violence against Muslims and separately, for making vitriolic comments against women in politics, according to the Wire.
Rizvi seeks removal of verses from the Quran
Tellingly, in March 2021, Rizvi had filed a petition in the Supreme Court for the removal of 26 verses of the Quran, which he claimed were promoting terrorism. The Supreme Court had dismissed the case and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on Rizvi.
In April 2021, too, several protests were held by Muslim groups demanding the arrest of Narsinghanand and Rizvi. In some of these protests provocative slogans and calls to violence were allegedly made. In Kanpur, posters demanding that the duo be beheaded had surfaced.
"This is all part of the strategy to keep the anti-Muslim cauldron cooking. Now a rabid Hindu hate-monger has found a Muslim who can spew venom against Islam, the prophet and the entire community. No surprises this is happening just before elections. Keeps the pot of hate cooking. If they believe in the constitution, the Uttar Pradesh regime should ensure this individual is booked for hate speech and insult to a religion," author and journalist Saba Naqvi was quoted as saying by the Wire.
"Rizvi is getting attention now because it suits the overall political tactic of abusing Muslims. And who better than another Muslim to do so?" she added.
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