Telangana MLA Raja Singh Suspended by BJP Post Arrest Over Comments on Prophet Mohammed
Raja Singh, BJP MLA from Goshamahal, was suspended from the party on Tuesday over alleged derogatory comments against Prophet Mohammed in a video uploaded to social media. He was arrested hours after large-scale protests erupted in the city in the early hours of Tuesday over Singh’s remarks.
Several people belonging to community staged protests in various parts of the city on Monday night demanding Singh’s arrest. Many All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) legislators and corporators of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation reached the police stations, where protests were held and sought stringent action against Raja Singh, party sources said. According to police, complaints were filed against Singh in several police stations under South, East and West Zones.
Dabeerpur Police Inspector G Koteswar Raos said they received a complaint against Singh, which alleged that the BJP MLA made derogatory remarks against a religion. The Hyderabad Police have booked the BJP MLA for making derogatory comments against the Prophet and hurting religious sentiments under Sections 295, 505 and 153A of the Indian Penal Code.
During the arrest, the Goshamahal MLA told reporters that his video was pulled down by the social media platform on which it was uploaded and that he will upload part 2 of the clip after his release. They removed my video from YouTube. I don’t know what the police are going to do. Once I am released second part (of the video) will certainly be uploaded. I am doing it for Dharma. I am ready to die for dharma, he said.
Singh sought to know why several complaints were lodged against him in various police stations. Why there are 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.
On August 19, Raja Singh was taken into custody by the police here when he tried to reach the venue of a show held to be held next day by stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui. Faruqui performed the show on that day even as the police picked up 50 people who tried to reach the venue and protest.
