The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday suspended Telangana lawmaker T Raja Singh hours after he was arrested for allegedly making derogatory comments against Prophet Mohammad, which sparked protests in Hyderabad.
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In a notice to Singh, Om Pathak, the secretary of BJP’s central disciplinary committee, said the lawmaker expressed views contrary to the party’s position in clear violation of its Constitution. “...pending further inquiry, you are suspended from the party and from your responsibilities/assignments if any, with immediate effect.”
Pathak 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.”
Earlier, scores of slogan-shouting workers of Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Itehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) staged a sit-in in front of the Hyderabad Police chief’s office demanding Singh’s immediate arrest. They threatened to intensify protests if Singh, who is often in the news for his inflammatory speeches, was not arrested within 24 hours.
Police detained some protestors as they tried to barge into the commissioner’s office. Amanullah Khan, a local leader, said over 200 Muslims were arrested while staging protests against Singh.
{{/usCountry}}Police detained some protestors as they tried to barge into the commissioner’s office. Amanullah Khan, a local leader, said over 200 Muslims were arrested while staging protests against Singh.
{{/usCountry}}Singh made the purported comments months after the BJP suspended Nupur Sharma and expelled another functionary after their remarks against the Prophet triggered a diplomatic row. Countries in West and South-East Asia denounced the comments. Kuwait, Qatar, and Iran were among the countries that summoned Indian ambassadors to protest against them.
The Supreme Court pulled up Sharma for her remarks saying “her loose tongue has set the entire country on fire”. Sharma made the remarks during a TV debate and triggered violence in parts of the country.
G Koteshwara Rao, a local police officer, said Singh was booked under the Indian Penal Code’s Sections including 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion).
In his police complaint, activist Wajihudiddin Salman said Singh used vulgar language against the Prophet in a video uploaded on a YouTube channel named “Sree Ram Channel, Telangana” late on Monday night. The video was later removed.