Raja Singh Arrested Again: Telangana BJP MLA T Raja Singh was arrested again hours after a court released a new video about the “communal atmosphere” despite the ban.
Telangana BJP MLA T Raja Singh was arrested again today, hours after the court released a new video about the “communal atmosphere” despite the ban. He was granted bail on Tuesday, hours after his arrest for his remarks on Prophet Muhammad.
“The police in Telangana is a puppet in the hands of Asaduddin Owaisi,” he said in a video shared hours before his arrest. In it, he said the supporters of AIMIM chief Owaisi, who is an MP from Hyderabad, “have been given freedom to throw stones…no FIR, no arrest”. He accused them of targeting places of worship. His reference was apparently in opposition to his comments on Prophet Muhammad, which led to his arrest and suspension from the BJP on Tuesday.
He blamed Urban Development Minister KT Rama Rao (‘KTR’) – the son of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (‘KCR’) – and Home Minister Mahmood Ali for “why the bad atmosphere in Telangana today”. He said that KTR is “an atheist who does not believe in any religion”, whose party Telangana Rashtra Samithi “plays the game of Muslim vote-bank” with AIMIM’s Owaisi.
Raja Singh said, “Let me tell you the reason for the communal tension in Telangana. There is this stand-up comedian named Munawwar Farooqui. Three months ago we canceled his show in Hyderabad with the support of the police.”
He further added, “This comedian then contacted KTR on Twitter… KTR invited him, gave him police protection. I was arrested. Deploying 5,000 policemen, including four IPS officers, he successfully ran the program organized.” “KTR allows Munawwar Farooqui to make jokes about our deities… killing Ram devotees out.” The reference was to a show on 20 August.
“I had requested the DGP, commissioner that such comedians who have abused our gods should not be allowed to organize events,” he said. “But KTR’s arrogance came in the middle… These people play the game of Muslim vote-bank. They thought BJP would benefit if the event was cancelled. And TRS and AIMIM would benefit if it was successfully organized.”
On being suspended from the BJP after his arrest on Tuesday, he said, “I will explain to my party that I was not targeting any religion, I was targeting individuals.”
The BJP, after his arrest, had said that Raja Singh’s views were in stark contrast to the party’s position on the matter. The Central Disciplinary Committee of the party took this stand in its notice to the MLA.
“I have taken the risk of appearing before you today,” Raja Singh said in the new video, knowing he was violating the bail conditions. “The court has asked me not to address the media. But the situation compelled me to do so today.” He accused “national media channels” of presenting facts “here and there” (or out of context).
As for what to do next, he said, “I will fight the court legally.” He was granted bail on Tuesday, hours after his arrest, while protests broke out in several parts of the city overnight. Known for his hardline Hindutva rhetoric, he is accused of hurting religious sentiments and promoting enmity in several cases. It was not immediately clear in what case he has now been arrested.
As of now, none of the individuals or parties nominated by Raja Singh in this new video have responded. Munawwar Farooqui, who hails from Gujarat, has faced show cancellations, matters worse – including a month in jail in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh – apparently for his jokes on religion, politics and other contemporary, controversial issues feather.
