918: Unpacking the 'Hindu Mahapanchayat' Event and Attacks on Journalists

<div>Less than three months after getting arrested for making Islamophobic remarks and instigating violence at the Haridwar 'Dharma Sansad' in December 2021, controversial <a href="https://www.thequint.com/news/india/yati-narsinghanand-others-booked-for-hate-speech-at-delhis-hindu-mahapanchayat#read-more#read-more">Hindu leader Yati Narsinghanand</a> is at it again.<br> <br> </div> <div>On 3 April, an event called the 'Hindu Mahapanchayat' was organised at North Delhi's Burari Grounds. Here, Narsinghanand, who was released on bail on 15 February, delivered a speech to Hindus, asking them to pick up arms and claiming that the Hindu community faced a threat of conversion and violence if a "Muslim is made Prime Minister."<br> <br> </div> <div>The organisers of the event, Preet Singh and Pinky Chaudhary, were previously arrested for giving hate speeches at a similar event at Delhi's Jantar Mantar in August 2021. They too, like Narsinghanand, are out on bail. <br> <br> It is important to note that the organisers were denied permission to hold the event by the Delhi Police. Speaking to <strong>The Quint</strong>, the organisers had said, <a href="https://www.thequint.com/news/politics/hosts-of-jantar-mantar-hate-speech-event-call-for-hindu-mahapanchayat-in-delhi#read-more">"Even if the police deny permission for the event, the event will take place."<br> </a><br> </div> <div>In two separate incidents, <a href="https://www.thequint.com/news/india/journalists-assaulted-by-right-wing-mob-at-hindu-mahapanchayat-in-delhi#read-more">five journalists were assaulted by right-wing mobs at the event</a>. Meghnad Bose, <strong>The Quint</strong>'s Principal Correspondent, was one of the reporters who was manhandled. We will be speaking to him in this episode.<br> <br> </div> <div>We will also be speaking to Meer Faisal, who works at <em>The Hindustan Gazette</em>, and Arbab Ali, a freelance journalist. Both of them were assaulted and manhandled by the mob for their reportage.<br> <br> </div> <div>In today's episode, we bring