Raja Singh held for remarks on Prophet, suspended by BJP
Hyderabad : BJP suspended and slapped a show-cause on party MLA T Raja Singh within hours of his arrest on Tuesday over a since blankedout video in which he purportedly made some remarks alluding to the Prophet, igniting protests in pockets of Hyderabad’s old city alongside a business shutdown. The suspension notice, signed by BJP’s central disciplinary committee member Om Pathak, gave the Goshamahal MLA 10 days to explain why he shouldn’t be expelled from the party. The episode comes two-and-a-half months after BJP suspended former national spokesperson Nupur Sharma and ousted its Delhi media cell head NaveenKumar Jindal for their remarks on the Prophet. Unlike Raja, neither of the duo is an elected representative. Raja got bail late Tuesday from the court of the additional chief metropolitan magistrate on technical grounds. His lawyers argued that Hyderabad Police didn’t follow guidelines laid down by Supreme Court, to serve notice before arrest to the accused under Section 41A of CrPc.
Security was tightened around Hindu pockets of Mangalhat and Dhoolpet localities in Old City, amidst fears of attacks on Raja Singh’s house as ‘Chalo Goshamahal’ cries trended on social media. Rapid Action Force, Greyhounds and reserve wings of Telangana State Special Police were mobilised from neighbouring districts and deployed in communallysensitive areas of Hyderabad.
There were tense moments outside Nampally court in the evening and police had to resort to a lathicharge to disperse Muslim protesters and Raja Singh’s supporters, who were locked in a standoff as the BJP MLA was escorted to the courtroom from Bolarum police station.
Though the roads leading to Nampally court were sealed and all business establishments told to down shutters,rival mobs tried to break barricades and charge at each other. Mammoth police deployment, however, prevented violence.
In the Old city commercial establishments at Gulzar Houz near Chanchalguda, Charminar, Shahalibanda, Panch Mohalla, Kishanbagh, Nampally market and Jagdish market shut shops as protests raged.
The traders also took to the streets and burnt effigiesof the BJP MLA. Some of them had also gathered at Charminar and staged a protest with black flags erected on the main roads.
Meanwhile, a big crowd gathered at Gulzar Houz to protest against Raja Singh’s statements. The crowd chanted ‘Raja Singh Murdabad’ as they marched down the street. The traders demanded strict action against the accused MLA and he shall be dealt with stringent laws.
