Jitendra Narayan Singh Tyagi
Central Shia Board of Waqf, Uttar Pradesh
In office
1995–2020
Personal details
Born
Syed Waseem Rizvi

Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
OccupationDebater
Filmmaker[1]
Politician

Jitendra Narayan Singh Tyagi (born Syed Waseem Rizvi) is the former member and chairman of the Shia Central Waqf Board of Uttar Pradesh, India.[2][3] He had chosen to undergo religious conversion to Hinduism on 6 December 2021.[2] He is known for filing a petition in India's Supreme Court,[4] as well as producing the Bollywood film Ram Ki Janmabhoomi.[5][6]

Political career

He was elected a Samajwadi Party (SP) corporator from the Kashmiri Mohalla ward of Old City in Lucknow in 2000, and in 2008, became a member of the Shia Central Waqf Board. In 2012, Tyagi was expelled from the SP for six years after falling out with Shia cleric Kalbe Jawad, who accused him of misappropriation of funds.[7] Tyagi termed these charges as "cooked up" motivated by the desire to "weaken his argument".[3] Tyagi later got relief from the court and was reinstated.[7]

Controversies

In January 2018, Tyagi wrote to the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and the Prime Minister of India, seeking the abolition of Madrasas and said that some of them act as breeding grounds for terrorists instead of ensuring jobs for Muslims.[7] In response, a Bareilly based religious outfit All India Faizan-e-Madina Council (AIFMC) announced a bounty of Rs 1,000,786 and a free Hajj trip for anyone who beheads Tyagi.[8] In January 2020, Tyagi said that, "Some people believe that childbirth is a natural process and should not be interfered with. To give birth to more children like animals is harmful to society and country. It will be good for the country if a law is implemented for population control."[9] In an interview he said that he did not like being called a Muslim, which to him was like being called a "cruel, wild beast", he added that he was very much a Muslim, but if that placed him in that same category as the Taliban he would rather identify himself as a human.[10] In another interview, he declared that he has left Islam.[11]

Petition

On 12 March 2021 Tyagi filed a petition in the Supreme Court, where he appealed to remove 26 verses from the Quran.[4] He has claimed in the petition that these verses promote violence among Muslims.[12] The petition says these 26 verses were not part of the original Quran but were inserted at a later stage.[13] In response, there has been condemnation from Muslim bodies of both Shia and Sunni sects of Islam.[14][15] They have demanded Tyagi's arrest.[16] The ruling BJP has also protested his petition.[17] A lawyer from Moradabad announced a reward of Rs 11 lakh for "beheading" Tyagi, while Shiane Haider-e-Karrar Welfare Association, a Muslim organisation in Uttar Pradesh, declared a Rs 20,000 reward for Tyagi's beheading.[7]

Works

  • Released in November 2021, in which Tyagi has given his viewpoint on why Islam came about and why he considers it a violent religion. He has claimed that he has referred to 350 Islamic books while writing his book.[18][19]

References

  1. ↑ "UP Shia Board chief Jitendra Tyagi scripts, produces film on Ram temple". Hindustan Times. 20 November 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
  2. 1 2 Ojha, Arvind (6 December 2021). "Former UP Shia Waqf Board chief converts to Jitendra Tyagi Hinduism". India Today.
  3. 1 2 Dhingra, Sanya (19 January 2018). "Jitendra Tyagi". ThePrint. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  4. 1 2 "Shia Body Blasts Jitendra Tyagi For Anti Quran Move". Kashmir Observer. 12 March 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  5. ↑ "Shia Waqf Board chief Jitendra Tyagi's movie on Ayodhya to release next month". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
  6. ↑ "Jitendra Tyagi Films distances from 'Aisha' teaser, claims it to be doctored". www.aninews.in. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Who is Tyagi". The Indian Express. 18 March 2021. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  8. ↑ "Muslim outfit places Rs 10 lakh bounty on Shia Waqf Board chief's head". Hindustan Times. 16 January 2018.
  9. ↑ "'Giving birth to children like animals harmful for country': UP Shia Waqf Board chairman". Hindustan Times. 21 January 2020.
  10. ↑ Jitendra Tyagi Exclusive Interview at Mohammad Book Launch Ceremony| Yati Narsinghanand | Vishalviews, retrieved 13 November 2021
  11. ↑ Why I chose Sanatan and left Mohammedanism? Jitendra Tyagi, retrieved 27 November 2021
  12. ↑ "Supreme Court se Kuran ki kucch ayatein hatane ki maang". Dainik Jagran. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  13. ↑ "Petition in SC over Quran triggers storm: UP's Jitendra Tyagi says 26 verses not part of the original holy book". Times of India. 16 March 2021. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  14. ↑ "Shias & Sunnis rally against Jitendra Tyagi's plea on Quran verses". Times of India. 15 March 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  15. ↑ "PIL by Shia board's former chief on Quran verses draws massive backlash". Indian Express. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  16. ↑ "Shia, Sunni scholars demand arrest of Shia Wakf Board chairman Jitendra Tyagi". The Siasat Daily - Archive. 11 January 2018.
  17. ↑ "BJP Protests Against Jitendra Tyagi In Srinagar". Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  18. ↑ Jitendra Tyagi (7 November 2021). Controversy over Jitendra Tyagi's book 'Mohammed' - Watch One Minute One News (in Hindi). Zee News. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  19. ↑ "Lucknow: Jitendra Tyagi created a new controversy by writing a book 'Mohammed' on the life of the Prophet, got it released by Mahant Yeti". Amar Ujala. 8 November 2021.
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