Telangana MLA T Raja Singh has a long list of hate speeches in Maharashtra
Suspended BJP MLA from Telangana T Raja Singh, who has been booked for his hate speech he delivered in Dadar nearly two months ago, has attended several such rallies conducted by Sakal Hindu Samaj, a right-wing outfit, where he demanded a law against religious conversions and allegedly called for violence against Muslims
Suspended BJP MLA from Telangana T Raja Singh, who has been booked for his hate speech he delivered in Dadar nearly two months ago, has attended several such rallies conducted by Sakal Hindu Samaj, a right-wing outfit, where he demanded a law against religious conversions and allegedly called for violence against Muslims.
The police on Monday registered an FIR against Singh under section 153(A) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence) of the Indian Penal Code. The rally in question was taken out from Shivaji Park to Maharashtra State Labour Welfare Board office in Dadar on January 29.
“All Hindus should demand a law against religious conversions else we are capable of making it on our own. You (government) shoot them or we know how to shoot,” Singh allegedly said, adding, “Balasaheb Thakeray (late Shiv Sena founder) used to say, my Hindu should not become the one who ring bells at a temple but can also shoot ‘landyas’ (a slur being used for Muslims by right wingers).”
“Whatever you need, buy only from Hindus and not from these jihadis (Islamic fundamentalists). If you find a halal certificate then throw away that product. This certificate means you are giving your money to them to kill you,” he reportedly said at the rally that was also attended by leaders and MLAs from Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the BJP.
However, this is not the first FIR registered against the Telangana politician.
On March 10, addressing a gathering at Ahmednagar’s Shrirampur, he said that if any member of the minority community was found involved in ‘love jihad’ he would cut them into pieces. “I want to tell the ‘landyas’ involved in ‘love jihad’ that they are already cut in half (circumcised) and we will cut them in whole,” he said with crowds cheering.
At the same rally, he insisted that Hindus and Muslims could never be brothers. “Chhatrapati Shivaji and Aurangzeb were not brothers, so weren’t Veer Maharana Pratap and Akbar.”
Singh continued his rhetoric nine days later in Aurangabad when he called for attacks on those found promoting ‘love jihad’.
“Want to stop ‘love jihad’, want to shoot them... take your team whenever you come to know about them. First, request the administration for help and if they do not help then complete the work on those who are already cut in half (circumcised),” he said at the March 19 rally.
A communal clash is reported to have broken out in Kiradpura, Aurangabad, on Wednesday evening.
‘Love jihad’ is used by right-wing activists and organisations alleging a concerted effort by Muslim men to convert Hindu women to Islam through interfaith marriages though the courts and the Central government are yet to recognise the term.
Singh was suspended by the BJP after his remarks on prophet Muhammad sparked a row. He was also arrested in August last year and placed under preventive detention. The Telangana high court, however, set aside the police order and released Singh, but with a warning against a speech or comment that would create hatred among communities in future.
Singh, a member of Telangana assembly from Goshamahal, recently alleged that he received threat calls from Pakistan, and a case was registered in Hyderabad.
(With inputs from Vinay Dalvi)