A video of a crowd demanding the beheading of BJP MLA Raja Singh while protesting against the derogatory comments made by him against Prophet Mohammed has now gone viral. The protesters had gathered in large numbers outside the Hyderabad Commissioner’s office in Basheerbagh in the wee hours of Tuesday. The protest was against a video that the BJP MLA Raja Singh had uploaded in which he made derogatory comments against Prophet Mohammed, similar to the comments made by now suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma.
In the video, the crowd of young Muslim men can be heard sloganeering, “Gustak E Rasool saw ki ek hi saza, sar tan se juda (Those who blaspheme against the Prophet deserves one punishment – head be removed from the body)”, against the BJP MLA. The crowd had staged protests till late in the night demanding that a case be registered against the BJP MLA and that he be arrested for his comments. AIMIM MLA Ahmed Balala too joined the protests that were reported in the early hours of Tuesday and demanded Raja Singh’s arrest.
Speaking to TNM, Syed Abdahu Kashaf, who is seen in the video leading the sloganeering, said the comments of the BJP MLA angered those of the community. “We are followers of Prophet S.A.W, disrespectful comments against our prophet made me very emotional. I have faith in the Indian judiciary that the hate monger MLA will be punished.” When TNM asked if he regrets demanding the beheading of Raja Singh, Kashaf said, “No”. He went on to say that Raja Singh being released has sent across a wrong message among the youth of the country.
There has been no police complaint or action against seen sloganeering. The video and the slogans, however, have been widely criticised online.
Following the Raja Singh video that surfaced on YouTube in which he made purportedly objectionable comments against prophet Mohammed, a section of Muslims in Hyderabad staged taken out rallies demanding his arrest.
Meanwhile, the BJP MLA who was arrested in the morning after a case was booked against him by the Hyderabad police was produced in the Nampally criminal court. The counsel for the BJP MLA contended that the provisions under 41(A) of CrPc weren’t followed by the Hyderabad police. The Nampally court rejected the remand report of the police and directed them to release the BJP MLA. Police had to resort to a mild lathicharge after supporters of the BJP MLA had gathered in large numbers outside the criminal court in solidarity with him.
On Tuesday, Tappachabutra police registered a case against Raja Singh under Sections 295(a)- Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs; 153(a)- Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony; 505 (1) (b)- with intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offense against the State or against the public tranquility; and 505 (2)- Statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes; besides Section 506- Punishment for criminal intimidation, of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).