Folk singer Neha Singh Rathore has moved Allahabad High Court requesting for a dismissal of FIRs filed against her over her alleged “provocative” posts on social media following the Pahalgam terror attack.
Her social media posts “endangered the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India,” per the police complaint.
In the plea filed by her, Rathore, a Bhojpuri singer, said she is a law-abiding citizen and the complaint filed against her – by one Abhay Pratap Singh – was based on vague and unsubstantiated allegations, and that the complaint was filed with ulterior motives and political vendetta.
The Hazratgunj police in Lucknow had filed the FIR against her under sections from the Bharatiya Nyay Sansthita that deal with attempting to promote sectarian animosity, disturbing public tranquillity and endangering the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India.
On Wednesday afternoon, following Operation Sindoor in which India destroyed terror camps at nine locations in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir and Pakistan in a precision attack, Rathore hailed the Indian defence forces on her Facebook page.
“Our differences will remain, but to the enemy from outside we are one. The enemies of India should never forget when the need arises every Indian was ready to give or take lives,” Rathore said, signing off with “Jai Hind, Jai Bharat.”
Hours after terrorists gunned down tourists and a local guide in Pahalgam on the afternoon of April 22, Rathore had asked questions to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on her X handle, through a video and a post in Hindi.
She had asked: “Terrorists have killed tourists in Kashmir’s Pahalgam. Are you asleep Mr Chowkidaar? Did you fall asleep? You introduced demonetisation to break the back of terrorism, then what happened? How long will the country run on tall talks? Is Nehru responsible for this too? No journalist will ever ask you, you will never hold a press conference, but I am going to ask you,” the Bhojpuri singer said in the video. “The country wants to know after spending so much on a Lion, why are its people being killed? What good are your 56 inch chest and red eyes? Was the surgical strike a story? What good were tall talks on Article 370?”
She had added: “Soldiers were killed in Pulwama and now tourists in Pahalgam. Tell us Modi ji, does peace in Kashmir depends on terrorists? Lakhs of people have been killed since you became prime minister, for lack of oxygen, reaction to vaccines, flyover collapse, rail accidents and stampedes. But you never took responsibility. When will you take responsibility for the deaths of your people? When will you admit your mistakes? The lives of the people of this country, is it to sacrifice on your failures? Please answer. How long will you remain silent?”
Supporters of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh filed multiple FIRs against the singer soon after. She had appealed to lawyers if anyone could help her with the legal battles.
It did not stop her from continuing with the questions to the Modi government.
“Are the people sitting in power only there to enjoy it without any accountability? Thousands of people are killed but the government never accepts responsibility. Every question gets the same reply, Hindus are in danger. Only one line, the country is facing threats, don’t ask questions now. When will the time to ask questions come?” Rathore asked two days ago in another video.
A lower court in Ayodhya on Tuesday had dismissed a complaint against her that claimed she had defamed and tarnished the images of Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh and BJP leaders through her posts on social media.
Dismissing the case on grounds of non-maintainability, the Ayodhya court observed the complaint for defamation against union ministers should have been filed by a public prosecutor with prior sanction from the central or state governments.
The Allahabad High Court division bench comprising Justice Vivek Chaudhary and Justice B.R. Singh will hear the matter again on May 12.
