104 FIRs, but there's no stopping this BJP MLA's hate speeches

In his speech that lasted nearly 40 minutes in Mira Road, Maharashtra , on February 25, Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP ) MLA Thakur Raja Singh — who represents the Goshamahal constituency in Hyderabad — largely spoke about Maratha king Shivaji and his virtues. However, every reference to the Mughals or Muslims in the stories was almost always preceded by an abusive term, and was always met with cheers by the audience.

“Mathura ke liye hum bansuri bajane ke liye tayyar hain, aur agar zaroorat padi toh Mahabharat jaisa yudh karne ke liye tayyar hain (We are ready to play the flute for Mathura and if needed we are also ready to fight a Mahabharat-like war),” he said at one point in the speech.

He ended his speech with an oath that he makes his audience repeat after every speech, and with an appeal for the people to disperse peacefully after the event.

Having received permission from the Bombay high court to hold the event — under the condition that he wouldn’t make any hate speech — Singh’s speech was relatively muted compared to previous speeches that have earned him notoriety. The event was initially denied permission by the police due to communal violence in Mira Road a month earlier.

medium

However, there was enough in the speech for the police to register a case against the MLA — sometimes called ‘Tiger’ Raja Singh — for making a hate speech. The FIR was registered nearly a month later, despite videos of the speech being circulated widely online. The complaint is the 104th FIR against the 47-year-old legislator.

Most of the cases against Singh have been filed in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Rajasthan and Telangana, according to an affidavit filed by him prior to the 2023 Telangana assembly election. In 2021, Singh was convicted in two cases for assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from the discharge of his duty and criminal intimidation. The MLA’s appeals in both cases are to be heard by the Telangana high court.

Complaints to courts and state governments have pointed out that since Singh is an elected representative, the misinformation spread by him gains legitimacy, which is dangerous. However, despite the cases and complaints, the BJP MLA remains a top draw at events.

Banned for speeches, then made a candidate

In September 2020, Meta banned Singh from Facebook and Instagram for his speeches that were inflammatory. However, on X, Singh identifies himself as a ‘social media influencer’.

In August 2022, Singh was arrested twice under the Preventive Detention Act for insulting Prophet Mohammed and making hate speeches. The two-time MLA was suspended by the BJP for more than a year but his arrest was set aside by the high court.

medium

But just before the 2023 assembly polls, the BJP not only lifted the suspension, but retained him as the party’s candidate from Goshamahal. A TOI report noted the cryptic letter from the party that revoked his suspension.

“This refers to your reply to the show cause notice. Your reply and explanation offered therein have been considered by the committee. Based on your reply, the committee has decided to revoke your suspension forthwith,” the letter said.

The reason for the revocation of his suspension quickly became clear. Singh won the seat for the third time. Despite the BJP’s bold claims before the election, he was the sole winner of a seat for the party in Hyderabad. Singh’s constituency lies in Hyderabad parliamentary constituency, which is represented by All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen’s Asaduddin Owaisi, and Singh frequently refers to him in speeches.

Watch: 'I won't take oath in front of Owaisi'

Noted Telugu political analyst Telakapalli Ravi said the BJP skillfully uses Singh as per the party’s needs. While the party claims that all opinions expressed in speeches by Singh are made in his personal capacity, it also projects him as a leader during polls to get votes, he said.

“When the fringe becomes mainstream, or multi-stream, is all decided by the party,” Ravi said.

In April 2023, Singh’s YouTube channel called Shree Ram Channel Telangana was removed by the platform. But many videos of the MLA’s speeches that are delivered at events, like the one at Mira Road, have been shared by other channels or the MLA’s supporters on the platform.

Singh has made multiple visits to Maharashtra, especially after Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde split the party to become the chief minister in 2022. Singh’s speeches have featured topics like love jihad, land jihad, halal certification of food and other subjects targeting Muslims. All the videos have millions of views on various platforms — including those from which his handles were banned — and haven’t been taken down.

Watch: Banned on Facebook, yet widespread

Many complaints, no action

On April 1, the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) submitted a letter to the Maharashtra director general of police, demanding strict action against Singh and others for violating court orders at the event.

“The contents of the inflammatory hate speech given by T Raja Singh are evidently dangerous and targeted at the Muslim community, with a view to not only demonise Muslims in the minds of the people but also to incite violence against Muslims,” the letter said.

medium

The organisation that works for civil rights said it was alarming that an elected representative was calling on people to pledge to learn how to use weapons and to create a Hindu nation.

“What is even more egregious is the fact that as an elected member of the ruling party, he assured the people present at the meeting that no harm would come to them if they engaged in violence against the minority community,” the letter stated.

Advocate and PUCL general secretary Lara Jesani told TOI Plus that the number of cases against Singh only showed the impunity he enjoyed.

“Instead of prosecuting him under the law and preventing him from commiting more crimes, he is being permitted to give communal hate speeches across the country and spread enmity and hatred amongst citizens, with no consequences,” Jesani said.

In April 2023, during a hearing in the Supreme Court on tackling hate speech, the Maharashtra government said that the state police had registered 24 cases against hate speeches on their own, in around three months.

medium

“However, there has been no action taken to prevent hate speech at rallies and events organised by groups like the Sakal Hindu Samaj, Hindu Janjagruti Samiti. No arrests have taken place of those repeatedly engaging in hate speech against Muslims,” Jesani said.

“We are witnessing an unprecedented breakdown of law, where instead of prosecuting offenders, the state is encouraging hate speech through its inaction,” she added.

Singh’s supporters have defended his speeches on the grounds that he is merely exercising the right to freedom of speech that is guaranteed by the Constitution.

However, human rights organisation Citizens for Justice and Peace has filed eight complaints in different Maharashtra police jurisdictions since March 2023. Teesta Setalvad, co-founder of the organisation, told TOI Plus that they are mindful of protecting free speech, but Singh has had a long record of delivering hate speeches.

“It’s a thin line [between free speech and hate speech] but since 2014 we have some very purposeful and interesting jurisprudence that carefully outlines the distinction and urges authorities to act [preventively and after],” she said.

TOI Plus tried to speak to Singh multiple times but he was unavailable for comment. His staff, however, confirmed the current number of FIRs filed against him.