Hindu seer Paramhans Acharya Maharaj said he will kill himself on Saturday night if the Centre does not meet his demand for declaring India as a Hindu nation, India Today reported.
Ayodhya Circle Officer Rajesh Rai told the news channel that Paramhans has been placed under house arrest in Uttar Pradesh, adding that he will not be allowed to step outside for any reason.
Police officials are trying to convince the seer to submit a memorandum of his demands to the authorities, India Today reported.
However, in a video, the seer showed a white canister purportedly containing water from the Sarayu river and said that at 12 am he will end his life by immersing his nose into it, unless the government agrees to his demand.
“God willing, I will be successful because the country comes before life,” the seer said, according to the Hindustan Times. “India will be saved only after it’s declared a Hindu Rashtra.”
On September 28, the seer had given an ultimatum to the government to declare India a Hindu nation by October 2. He also demanded that the Centre should terminate the nationality of Muslims and Christians.
On Friday, he also held a “Hindu Sanatan Dharm” meeting on the subject. Representatives from 29 states reportedly attended the meeting.
Earlier this year, the seer had lit a pyre in Ayodhya and said that he would immolate himself in it. However, the Ayodhya Police placed him under house arrest and prevented him from doing so.
He had also undertaken a 15-day fast for the same demand. He broke his fast only after assurances from Union Home Minister Amit Shah, according to India Today.
Several Hindutva organisations have raised the demand for declaring India as a Hindu nation. Among them is the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological parent of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
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