Lucknow/Balrampur, March 9 Fresh complaints were filed in various parts of Uttar Pradesh on Monday against a cleric based in Bihar over his remarks about Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's mother, even as police said a case had already been registered in the Balrampur district.
In Ballia, members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) submitted a complaint at the Bansdih Kotwali Police Station, demanding that a case be registered and strict action be taken against the cleric, Maulana Abdul Salim Chaturvedi.
Station House Officer Praveen Kumar Singh said that the police were examining the matter.
"The BJP members submitted a written complaint seeking action against Maulana Abdul Salim for allegedly making objectionable remarks about the chief minister's mother. The matter is being examined," Singh said.
In another development, Surendra Diler, the BJP MLA from Khair in Aligarh district, wrote to the senior superintendent of police, seeking stringent legal action against the cleric.
In his letter, Diler alleged that a video clip of Salim's remarks, containing derogatory comments against certain Hindu religious practices and the mother of the Uttar Pradesh chief minister, was circulating on social media and could disrupt communal harmony.
Earlier, police in the Balrampur district had registered a case against the cleric based on a complaint by BJP district president Ravi Mishra.
Superintendent of Police Vikas Kumar said that an FIR was lodged on March 7 at the Nagar Kotwali Police Station under sections 352 (intentional insult) and 353(2) (public mischief) of the BNS.
According to the complaint, Salim made the alleged remarks at a religious gathering and also attempted to provoke members of the minority community over cow slaughter laws.
The police said that an investigation into the matter is underway.
Meanwhile, Aparna Yadav, vice chairperson of the Uttar Pradesh State Women's Commission, held a press conference and condemned the cleric's remarks as objectionable and disrespectful towards women.
Yadav wrote to the chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW) and the Bihar State Women's Commission, seeking strict action against the cleric.
In her letter to the NCW, Yadav said that the remarks were "extremely objectionable" and hurt the dignity of a woman.
"Respect for women is paramount in Indian culture. Such indecent remarks against any woman are highly condemnable and cannot be accepted under any circumstances," she wrote, and urged the commission to ensure that the person concerned publicly apologises.
The controversy has sparked protests in several parts of Uttar Pradesh.
On Sunday, demonstrations were witnessed in many districts, including Balrampur, Basti, Sitapur, and Kanpur.
In Lucknow, a complaint was submitted at the Hazratganj Police Station, and protestors burnt an effigy of the cleric.
Several groups have warned of a larger protest in the state capital on March 11 if action is not taken.
BJP MP from Gorakhpur, Ravi Kishan, also condemned the remarks.
"In Indian culture, a mother is regarded as the highest symbol of respect and reverence. Those who insult motherhood expose their own values and mindset," he said in a post on X.