At the Gareeb Nawaz Conference held in Mumbra on 6 February, Sayed Shabahat Hussain Qaudri, an Islamic cleric, instigated violence in a viral hate speech clip demanding Azhari’s release in exchange. Several speakers were seen speaking the same hate-filled language.

The arrest of Muslim cleric Salman Azhari for his hate speech against the Hindu community has stirred up a wave of extremist sentiments within the Muslim community. Despite Azhari’s arrest, his supporters continue to propagate his genocidal agenda.

During his address, Qaudri rallied the crowd, asserting their readiness to sacrifice themselves in the name of Muhammad. He urged attendees to demonstrate their loyalty by growing beards and adopting radical ideologies.

In a radical 37-minute speech, Qaudri emphasized fearlessness and warned against tolerating injustice towards ‘Muslim scholars’ like Azhari. He defended Azhari’s hate speech, claiming the government misrepresented it and compared it to inflammatory remarks made by others without consequence.

Sayed Shabahat Hussain Qaudri, the cleric overseeing the Jinhata Shareef mosque in Uttar Pradesh’s Chandausi, has emerged as a key figure in this narrative. His social media profiles showcase various speeches, including praise for Muhammad Iqbal, the proponent of the two-nation theory and Pakistan. In his speech, Qaudri is also seen asking people to become suicide bombers.

The phrase “Labbaik Ya Rasool,” meaning “In the service of Prophet Muhammad,” has gained prominence in this discourse. Used to assert allegiance to Allah and Muhammad, it embodies radical devotion and has been associated with violent extremism.