Bhartiya Janta Party MLA T Raja Singh was arrested from his home on Tuesday morning by the Hyderabad police a day after a video surfaced on social media where he is purportedly seen making derogatory comments about Prophet Mohammad.
Hundreds of locals in old city Hyderabad took to the streets as Singh's video went viral on social media, protesting against his comments and demanding his arrest. Protesters blocked the road outside the city police commissioner's office in Basheerbagh and stormed into the office of the deputy commissioner of police (south zone). The police said they received several complaints against Singh after which they arrested him.
What Did He Say In The Video?
In a 10.27-minute video, titled 'Farooqui Ke Aaka Ka Ithihas Suniye', shared via Shree Ram Channel Telangana late Monday night, Singh can be seen abusing stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui for his comedy shows.
Singh laughs and says that Faruqui was "mentally disturbed" because of what his mother faced in Gujarat. He uses terms like "ding ding" hinting towards the rapes reported against the Muslims during the Gurjat riots. Singh then invites Faruqui to eat pork.
After some time, Singh refers to Prophet Mohammad as "Muslims's Aaka" and repeats the comments made by former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma.
In the video, Singh says, "Their Aaka has done 14 marriages and being his followers, they will do the same. They are increasing Muslim population." He then tries to defend his remarks by saying that Faruqui is insulting Hindu Gods during his comedy shows, so this is his way to counter him.
BOOM found a Facebook account by the name of T Raja Singh (SleeperCells Of Raja Bhai) with around 27,000 followers. The page updates all the activities of Singh. On Tuesday morning, after Singh was arrested, the account shared a post – "No one can harm him whose protector is Lord Ram. I have been arrested today."
On the same account, on May 22, a video has been posted in which Singh is seen saying, "We should remember Godra (Gujrat riots), Kashmir Files and should understand what has been done to us. If we won't remain vigilant and aware about Muslims, we will be in trouble."
He then says, "Muslims always look at Hindus with anger. We should expel all of them who have terrorist ideology."
Who is T Raja Singh?
Following BJP's aim to rule in Telangana, among rabble-rousers at the forefront of this campaign is Singh. He was born in a family with no political connections and he has said that due to low financial income, "he couldn't afford a proper education." He belongs to a Lodh community in Dhoolpet, one of the most underdeveloped parts of Hyderabad, a hub for illicit liquor and drug smuggling.
According to media reports, he has almost 50 police cases registered against him since 2005, nearly half for giving anti-Muslim hate speeches and inciting communal tensions. There are 50 serious offences listed in his election affidavit, including attempt to murder, and he is named as a "rowdy sheeter" in the dossier of the Mangalhat police station in Hyderabad.
Singh was one of the main supporters in BJP who claimed that Hyderabad was called Bhagyanagar and has promised to rename it if the BJP comes to power in the next elections. The politician also called for Rohingya and Bangladeshi immigrants to leave India or be killed.
"If these Rohingyas and Bangladeshi illegal immigrants do not leave India respectfully, then they should be shot and eliminated," said Singh in one of his speeches in 2018.
Singh has won the state election in 2014 and 2018 from the Goshamahal constituency, defeating the candidates from the Congress Party and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS). He is one of the three representatives of the BJP in the Telangana state assembly.
A local journalist who has closely followed Singh's actions in the area wishing anonymity told BOOM that in Singh's constituency, neither TRS nor AIMIM fields any strong candidate against him. "They give him open space and it seems that they have some hidden alliance from the seat. With no strong candidate in opposition, he has successfully managed to win from the constituency. The area has Muslim population as well but most of them don't vote because they knew that Raja Singh will win the seat and there is no point to vote against him," the journalist said.
The journalist said that there have been scores of FIRs against Singh in the past but each time he gets bailed out. "I don't think he will face any serious action from the judiciary even in this case. He will be out soon," the journalist said.
In September 2020, Singh was banned from Facebook and Instagram platforms for violating company policy on the promotion of "violence and hate". "We have banned Raja Singh from Facebook for violating our policy prohibiting those that promote or engage in violence and hate from having a presence on our platform," a Facebook spokesperson was quoted by The Telegraph.
Earlier, the Wall Street Journal had reported that Facebook's public policy director for South and Central Asia, Ankhi Das, had opposed banning Singh and at least three other Hindu nationalist individuals and groups for hate posts, citing the company's business interests in India.
A History Of Hate Speeches
In 2017, Singh in one of his speeches at a Hindu dharma sabha in Karnataka urged "every Hindu" to buy a weapon. "There must be a sword in every Hindu's hand. I request the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to train every Hindu youngster on how to use an AK-47 gun," said Singh. "Even if you have to buy something worth one rupee, buy it from Hindus and not from these deshdrohis (traitors)."
From threatening to behead those who oppose the Ram Mandir and "bulldoze" those who did not vote for Yogi Adityanath in the Uttar Pradesh state election in February 2022, Singh's involvement in communal clashes and hate speeches across the city has been well known since his time as a TDP corporator from Mangalhat – Article14 has reported.
Singh's website says he was with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) youth wing, the Hindu Vahini, and was part of gau raksha (cow protection) groups before he became a state lawmaker for the first time in 2014. "He is more educated than many people regarding the knowledge about Hindutva," it read.
In August 2018, Singh announced his resignation from the BJP to devote himself to the cow protection movement, blaming the ruling TRS for not taking the necessary steps toward cow protection. It was his third resignation from the BJP in four years.
He has gone back on his decision every time. In June 2021, Singh told the Telangana police: "If you don't want communal violence in the city, then make sure the cows don't get slaughtered."
In June 2020, he made derogatory remarks against the 12-century Sufi saint Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti of Ajmer, Rajasthan.
"Nowadays, a lot of Hindus are visiting Ajmer Dargah. If any of them come to know of the real history of Ajmer Dargah, I challenge that they wouldn't go there and bow their heads," said Singh, further adding, "Prithviraj Chouhan's wife was thrown out of this dargah to get raped by the soldiers. Woh ek harami ki dargah hai aur uski kabar hai wo (It is a bastard's, and it's his grave)."
In April this year, during a Ram Navami celebration, Singh called Muslims "haramis (bastards)" and said Hindus should start an economic boycott against them. "Imagine what will happen if we stop buying from you gaddars (traitors)," said Singh. "You won't even be able to beg on the streets. I call upon all of you to boycott those who do not sing Vande Mataram."
What Was The Complaint Against Him?
BOOM spoke to a few locals over calls to understand why they are protesting against Singh. A local of old city Hyderabad who is one of the complainants in the case, who wished to remain anonymous, told BOOM that he saw Singh's video on Facebook. His friend had shared a link of the video with him.
"He is openly insulting and making derogatory remarks about Prophet Mohammad by saying 'Aaka'. How long will we tolerate such statements against our Prophet? This is BJP's policy is to provoke Muslims and if we protest for such actions, they get a chance to suppress us more and punish us," he said.
"Had he been given proper punishment for his actions in the past, he wouldn't have repeated it again," the local said referring to the previous cases against the BJP MLA.
He along with three friends have filed a complaint in city police station Charminar against Singh and demanded his arrest. Several Muslims organisations and individuals have filed complaints against Singh after the video went viral.
"I Did Not Hurt Anyone's Sentiments"
Singh, reacting to the FIR registered against him on Tuesday, said that it was a comedy video aimed against stand-up comedian Faruqui and was not against any particular religion or community.
"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," he added.
Singh said he had posted the video in response to Munawar Faruqui's show held in Hyderabad on Sunday. Singh had threatened to disrupt the event and was kept under house arrest till the show was over, and several BJP and BJYM activists who tried to storm the venue at Shilpa Kala Vedika were arrested by police on August 21 evening.
The BJP has suspended Singh after the ongoing controversy and served him a show cause notice, asking him to submit his reply within 10 days to avoid expulsion from the party.
A criminal case was registered against Singh after continuous protests at Dabeerpur police station and also at Hyderabad CP office.