A case has been registered against folk singer Neha Singh Rathore after she made controversial remarks on social media about PM Narendra Modi and the Indian government following the tragedy that struck Pahalgam on the afternoon of April 22. Lucknow Police have booked her under a sedition case based on a recent video she posted on X (formerly Twitter).
ALSO READ | Pahalgam terror attack: Pride and despair pervade Kashmiri braveheart Syed Adil Hussain's house
In the post, Rathore questioned when she was labelled as an “anti-national” by the Modi government and the BJP IT cell for questioning the security arrangements, or the lack thereof, at Pahalgam during the attack. She further questioned why Modi’s recent visit to Bihar was prioritised over addressing the Pahalgam tragedy. Rathore's post was subsequently circulated in Pakistani media.
According to the complaint filed by Abhay Pratap Singh, he notes, "In this situation, singer and poetess Neha Singh Rathore, using her Twitter (now X) handle @nehafolksinger made some objectionable posts that can adversely affect the national integrity and made repeated efforts to incite one community against another based on religion."
Following the complaint, the police registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) on multiple charges, including promoting sectarian animosity, disturbing public tranquillity and endangering the sovereignty.
Who is Neha Singh Rathore?
Born in 1997, Rathore is a classical folk singer who sings in the Bhojpuri language. Her career began in 2019 with videos posted on Facebook. She later expanded to other social media platforms and gained popularity during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic lockdown for her satirical takes on politics.
ALSO READ | Bhojpuri singer served notice over songs that ask what's on in UP
Her first popular song was Bihar Mein Ka Ba, of which the release coincided with the 2020 Bihar Legislative Assembly election. Her other songs, as a response to political incidents, include UP Mein Ka Ba?, UP Mein Ka Ba? Session-2, and MP Mein Ka Ba?
Rathore has amassed 1.45 million followers on YouTube, 433k on X, and 137k on Instagram.