News18 Journalist Amish Devgan booked for hurting Sufi sentiments

Police have pressed charges against News18 channel’s TV show anchor Amish Devgan for his derogatory remarks about the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. He was booked under Indian Penal Code for outraging religious feelings. These charges were made against him by a “khadim” at the saint’s dargah in Ajmer on Tuesday night.

He was also accused of causing riots by spreading misleading information about communal issues by an activist named Muzaffar Bharti. “The dargah of Moinuddin Chishti is the symbol of brotherhood and harmony and crores of people of different religions all over the world have deep love and faith in the saint,” he said.

Following this, the Dargah SHO Hemraj filed an FIR against Devgan.

Coming out in response to those accusations, Amish tweeted an apology, saying, In 1 of my debates, I inadvertently referred to ‘Khilji’ as Chishti. I sincerely apologise for this grave error and the anguish it may hv caused to followers of the Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti, whom I revere. I have in the past sought blessings at his dargah. I regret this error”. Devgan stated that he had pronounced ‘Chishti’ in place of Khilji and it was an inadvertent error.

Notably, Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, also known as Hazrat Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz, is a much worshipped and revered saint for the followers of that religion. He was a saint who lived during the 13th century, and travelled South Asia, before settling in Ajmer, where he had died.