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Singer Neha Singh Rathore gets police notice for song critical of demolitions
Rathore came into the limelight when she released a song critical of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government titled “UP Mein Ka Ba (What is there in Uttar Pradesh?)” ahead of the 2022 assembly elections
The Uttar Pradesh Police have issued a notice to Bhojpuri singer Neha Singh Rathore in connection with a complaint filed against her for spreading “enmity and hatred” through a song she released criticising the state government over the death of a mother and daughter during an anti-encroachment drive last week.
Rathore came into the limelight when she released a song critical of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government titled “UP Mein Ka Ba (What is there in Uttar Pradesh?)” ahead of the 2022 assembly elections. The song was an apparent response to BJP lawmaker Ravi Kishan’s song “UP Mein Sab Ba (UP has everything)”
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath released Kishan’s song listing the achievements of the government and “unmatched work”.
Rathore released another version of her “UP Me Ka Ba” after the two women allegedly set themselves afire as authorities sought to demolish their thatched house as part of the removal of “encroachments” from a local village council’s land in Kanpur Dehat this month.
In one of the videos that went viral, the mother and daughter could be seen rushing into the house and locking the door from the inside. Some policemen could be seen trying to break open the door, even as the roof of the house catches fire.
Circle officer Prabhat Kumar said they received a “verbal” complaint about Rathore’s new song and video posted on social media. He added the complaint said the song has caused enmity and hatred in society. “We will consider further action in this case after getting the reply.”
The notice was issued to Rathore at her Delhi residence on Tuesday days after her one-minute-nine-second video criticising “the bulldozer culture” went viral. She has been asked to answer seven questions in three days.
Demolitions of the properties of those believed to be involved in unlawful activities have been carried out in states such as Uttar Pradesh. In some cases, the demolitions have been carried out without due process.
