Neha Singh Rathore, a popular Bhojpuri singer well known for her satirical political songs, has been booked under sedition charges for allegedly making ‘objectionable posts’ in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack. The Bihar-born singer accused the Modi-led government of ‘collecting votes’ in the name of Pahalgam tragedy during the upcoming state electionsread moreNeha Singh Rathore, a popular Bhojpuri singer well known for her satirical political songs, has recently landed in a major legal controversy. She has been booked under sedition charges following her alleged “objectionable” posts on social media in the wake of the
Pahalgam terrorist attacks.According to officials, the charges stem from a complaint filed by Abhay Pratap Singh in Lucknow, who accused Rathore of making “anti-national statements” and fueling communal tensions. The complaint specifically pointed to her posts about the Pahalgam tragedy, which were viewed as “provocative” and potentially damaging to the unity of the nation.STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADAs a result of the complaint, a case was filed against the singer under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including promoting sectarian animosity, disturbing public tranquillity, and endangering India’s sovereignty, unity, and integrity. She has also been charged under the Information Technology Act.More from Explainers
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In Graphics | Pahalgam terror attack: How India and Pakistan stack up on military, economy & moreBut who exactly is Neha Singh Rathore, and what did she say to spark such a reaction? Let’s take a closer look.Who is Neha Singh Rathore?Born in 1997 and hailing from Jandaha, Bihar, Neha Singh Rathore is a political satirist and folk singer known for composing songs in Bhojpuri. Over the years, she has built a large following on social media, with over 1.45 million subscribers on YouTube.According to NDTV, Rathore’s journey into music began shortly after she completed her B.Sc degree at Kanpur University in 2018. Starting off by composing and singing Bhojpuri folk songs on her mobile phone, she uploaded them to Facebook, gradually gaining traction. She cited renowned Bhojpuri poets Bhikhari Thakur and Mahendar Misir as her inspiration.In 2020, Rathore made the shift to YouTube, where she began focusing on social issues, notably the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on migrant workers. By the end of the year, her political satire gained widespread attention, and by 2021, her YouTube channel had surpassed 100k subscribers.Rathore has been accused of making “anti-national statements” and fueling communal tensions in wake of Pahalgam terrorist attack. Image courtesy: Instagram/neha_singhrathore_08Rathore’s songs such as ‘Bihar Mein Ka Ba’ (2020), ‘UP Mein Ka Ba?’ (2022), ‘UP Mein Ka Ba? Session-2’ (2023), and ‘MP Mein Ka Ba?’ (2023) became immensely popular across social media platforms. ‘Bihar Mein Ka Ba,’ which was released during the Bihar Assembly election in 2020, focused on issues related to Bihar’s workers.Similarly, her 2022 track ‘UP Mein Ka Ba?’ critiqued the governance in Uttar Pradesh, addressing major events like the COVID-19 crisis, the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, and the Hathras gang rape case. She was even served a police notice over her song ‘UP Me Ka Ba- Season 2’, which criticised the state government over the death of a mother-daughter duo in Kanpur Dehat during an eviction drive.In July 2023, she faced backlash when a case was filed against her for posting a caricature related to the urination incident in Madhya Pradesh. The incident, which involved a video of a man urinating on a tribal labourer, sparked national outrage. Rathore’s response was to release the song ‘MP Mein Ka Ba?’ (what is happening in MP) during the state assembly election season, which proved to be a success.What did she say about Pahalgam attacks?In her X post dated April 23, Rathore accused the Modi-led government of basing its politics on caste and religion. She went on to claim that the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack, which killed 26 civilians, was an intelligence and security failure.In a video message, she said, “What should I question the government about? Issues of education and health are no longer relevant. People are being killed despite the politics of nationalism, and Hindu-Muslim tensions are at their peak.”She also accused the BJP government of “collecting votes in the name of the Pulwama attack” and warned that the same would happen in the case of the Pahalgam attack during the upcoming Bihar elections.Editor’s Picks1‘Don’t throw us out’: How shutting Attari border has impacted India, Pakistan civiliansOn April 26, she posted again, stating, “I will say this again and again that if Bihar elections are fought on the issue of Pahalgam, then Bihar’s own issues will be sidelined.”With input from agenciesTagsIndiaKashmirEnd of Article
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Quickplained: Who is Neha Singh Rathore, the folk singer facing sedition charges for Pahalgam posts?
