New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has suspended its Telangana MLA T. Raja Singh after his alleged derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammed led to his arrest by the Hyderabad Police.
Singh, in a video uploaded on YouTube on Monday, August 22, night, allegedly repeated the now-suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma’s similar comments against the Prophet which had sparked a global outcry earlier this year.
His arrest came after several Muslim organisations staged protests across various police stations in the city on Monday late night demanding his arrest while accusing him of insulting the Prophet and hurting religious sentiments, Indian Express has reported. He was later granted bail.
The controversial remarks under scanner came about in a 10-minute video message put out by Singh on YouTube late on Monday night meant to launch a tirade against stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui and his comedy shows. Singh had, in fact, been taken into preventive custody on Friday, August 20, when he attempted to disrupt Faruqui’s show in the city, which later went off peacefully.
The video in question was released around 10 pm on Monday, resulting in protests across various police stations to condemn the remarks of the two-time BJP MLA. A first information report (FIR) was registered at Dabeerpura Police Station on Tuesday after one Mohammed Wajhi Uddin Salman had lodged a complaint against “vulgar language” of Singh.
The FIR was booked against Singh under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) pertaining to promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs and criminal intimidation among others.
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“This is the first video where I have spoken like this. What is the reason? Because one person hurled abuses at my Lord Ram and Sita Mata. He did comedy on my gods and today, without any other option left, I am doing comedy on your mother. This is my anguish,” Singh had said in the video.
“They removed my video from YouTube. I don’t know what the police are going to do. Once I am released, the second part (of the video) will certainly be uploaded. I am doing it for Dharma. I am ready to die for dharma,” he said on Tuesday.
“Why are there complaints? Our Ram is not Ram? Our Sita is Sita? I requested the DGP with folded hands not to allow the person (Munawar Faruqui) who made comedy with vulgar language against Ram and Sita,” he said.
In his defence, Singh on Tuesday said, “I do not understand on what basis the police registered the FIR because I did not take the name of any particular community. My video was aimed at Faruqui and I stand by my words, and I did not hurt anyone’s sentiments. This was the first part of the video, there will be a second video too.”
Protests were witnessed on Monday night outside Charminar, Bhavani Nagar, Mir Chowk, and Rein Bazaar police stations demanding the immediate arrest of Singh. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen’s Malakpet MLA Ahmed Balala reached Dabeerpura police station along with his supporters and sought strict action against Singh.
Speaking to press persons, DCP (South) P. Sai Chaithanya urged support from the protesters to maintain law and order. “We have received complaints in all police stations against the hurtful comments made against Prophet Mohammad…I want to assure you that FIR will be registered and compulsory action would be taken. Thank you all for having faith in us and we will keep up the good work,” he added.
The police also said they pulled down Singh’s video, which Muslim leaders claim insulted their community.
Suspension from the party
Meanwhile, Singh was suspended from the BJP following his controversial remarks allegedly aimed at Prophet Mohammad and the party sought his reply within 10 days as to why he should not be expelled.
In a notice issued to Singh, Om Pathak, who is secretary of the party’s central disciplinary committee, said, “You have expressed views contrary to the Party’s position on various matters, which is in clear violation of Rule XXV 10 (a) of the constitution of the Bharatiya Janata Party. I have been directed to convey to you that pending further inquiry, you are suspended from the party and from your responsibilities/assignments if any, with immediate effect.”
Pathak also asked Singh to “show cause” within 10 days from the date of this notice as to why he should not be expelled from the party.
“Your detailed reply must reach the undersigned no later than 2nd of September 2022,” Pathak said.
Meanwhile, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) claimed Singh made derogatory language against Prophet Mohammed.
“This is the official policy of the BJP to ensure that Muslims are always tortured emotionally, mentally by allowing their party members to talk in such low language which we call it Sadak Chap language about Prophet Mohammed. This is a deliberate attempt by BJP and they allowed their MLA to speak in this language,” AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi told reporters.
“They have not learnt a lesson from what Nupur Sharma has said. This is a continuation of what Nupur Sharma had said,” he further said, referring to the suspended party spokesperson whose remarks against Prophet Muhammed sparked a huge outrage.
Granted bail
Hours after the arrest, Singh was granted bail by a local court before which he was produced. The court accepted Raja Singh’s lawyer’s argument that the police did not issue a notice under the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) 41(A) to the accused before the arrest.
The police did not follow the Supreme Court’s directions in Arnesh Kumar that a notice should be issued to the accused before the arrest in cases which attract below seven years of imprisonment, Raja Singh’s advocate told reporters.
Mild tension prevailed at the court as pro and anti-Raja Singh groups gathered and indulged in slogan shouting. Police had to resort to mild lathi-charge to disperse them.
Controversial past
Singh is known for his past controversial comments. Earlier this year, he had said that those “traitors” who did not vote in support of the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh will have repercussions post elections.
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He had also earlier said that Hindus be “given training in operating arms for self-defence”, adding that his dream of achieving a Hindu Rashtra can only be fulfilled if all Hindus stand united.
Apart from seeking that all Hindus must receive ‘weapons training’, Singh had also held camps where such training was provided. In September 2019, the BJP MLA announced the creation of a ‘vigilante army’ to ‘deal with’ traitors’.
In videos that he posted on social media, Singh had said, “Six months back, we had planned a camp, decided on a date, and invited Hinduvadi bravehearts and patriots to attend the camp. There’s a great discussion underway at this camp (now). A pledge has been taken at this camp that every youngster in India will be trained to become a soldier; India is safe because of our Army, similarly the Indian youth will be readied like an Army soldier.
If India needs it in the coming days, the Indian youngsters should not fall behind. The Army is taking care of traitors on the outside. But there should also be an army to take care of the terrorists inside the house right? So that army is now being readied.”
According to The News Minute, the camp in question was held in Bengaluru and about 470 people attended the camp.
In December 2019, his name was on a list of “rowdy-sheeters”, or people with criminal records, in Hyderabad. His name was mentioned in the list maintained by the Mangalhat police station. According to Singh’s election affidavit, he has 43 police cases against him. Two of the cases registered against him are for attacking a mosque.
A 2017 report by Alt News listed many of the vile and incendiary comments that Singh had, including threatening to behead people, asking people to boycott Kashmiri businesses, making anti-Dalit statements.
(With PTI inputs)
Note: This article was updated with additional information after it was published.