Parvez Parwaz, a 72-year-old former journalist and social activist who pursued legal action over a 2007 speech by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, died at Gorakhpur District Jail in the early hours of Sunday while serving a life sentence in a separate gangrape case.
Jail officials said he had been suffering from several health problems, including high blood pressure and diabetes, and developed breathing difficulties late Saturday night. He was taken to the district hospital, where he died during treatment at around 2:50 am.
Parwaz had been lodged in jail since September 2018 after a woman accused him and another man of gangrape. On July 28, 2020, a district court sentenced him to life imprisonment in the case.
His death has brought renewed attention to his long-running legal battle over a speech delivered by Adityanath, who was the Bharatiya Janata Party’s MP from Gorakhpur at the time.
On January 27, 2007, Parwaz was passing near Gorakhpur railway station when he saw Adityanath addressing a gathering near a statue of Maharana Pratap. Tensions were high in the city following a clash during a Muharram procession, in which a Hindu youth was injured and later died.
According to an account published by The Caravan, Parwaz recorded the speech on camera. Adityanath was quoted as saying, “In the coming time, for the blood of one Hindu, we will not get an FIR registered against the administration but will instead have at least 10 such people killed.”
Violence subsequently broke out in parts of Gorakhpur. Reports said at least two people were killed and property worth crores of rupees was damaged during the riots.
Parwaz later sought legal action, alleging that the speech incited violence. His efforts led to a prolonged legal battle over the circumstances surrounding the speech and the subsequent unrest.
Parwaz approached a local court seeking an investigation into Adityanath’s alleged role in the violence. The magistrate rejected his plea, citing the registration of an FIR in the matter, according to reports.
He subsequently approached the Supreme Court, seeking further legal action. However, his efforts did not result in the proceedings he had sought, and the matter remained a significant part of his public profile.
In September 2018, Parwaz was arrested after a 40-year-old woman accused him and another man, identified as Mehmood alias Jumman Baba, of gang rape. A district court convicted him in the case and sentenced him to life imprisonment on July 28, 2020.
According to Gorakhpur District Jail officials, Parwaz had been suffering from multiple health conditions, including high blood pressure and diabetes. His condition reportedly deteriorated late Saturday night when he developed breathing difficulties.
Jail superintendent V.K. Pandey said Parwaz was taken to the district hospital after complaining of breathing problems, where he died during treatment at approximately 2:50 am on Sunday.
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