On May 8, Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) filed a complaint with the State Election Commission (SEC), Karnataka against the suspended BJP MLA T. Raja Singh, representing the Goshamahal Assembly constituency in Hyderabad, for delivering anti-Muslim hate speeches and making communal remarks at election campaigns on two instances. The SEC, Karnataka has also replied to our complaint, and forwarded the same to the relevant authorities.
In his speeches, given at two separate events, the speaker has made misinformed and offensive claims against the minority community, made religiously derogatory and communal statements. In the first video, Singh can be seen addressing a crowd at a rally organised for BJP Candidate Shri Rajkumar Patil in the Sedam Assembly Constituency of Karnataka. At the said rally, the serial hate-speaker said that “Even Raavan saw a dream- to trap Lord Hanuman. But what did our Hanuman do? They put fire to the whole of Lanka. These Congress party members are also the illegal children of Raavan.” Targeting the Muslim community, Singh also said, “A lot of the people say that the Muslims will not vote for Modi in these elections. To those Muslims, I want to just remind them that this is the same Modi that has saved the honour of your sisters and daughters by banning Triple Talaq in India. Before Modi had brought in the issue of Triple Talaq, your sisters and daughters had to suffer through Halala. You should be grateful that he saved you honour.”
During the second instance, while speaking in a rally in support of BJP candidate Eshwar Singh Thakur, Singh created fear in the minds of the Hindu audience with the agenda of getting votes and said, “If the Congress comes in Karnataka, they will give full autonomy and freedom to the PFI. If the PFI comes back to Karnataka, then understand this, the Hindus will not remain safe, no one will remain safe. Our mother cow will be openly slaughtered then, they will commit Love-Jihad and Land-jihad, if the PFI comes back after the Congress wins. Understand this, if all this happens, whoever works for the Hindutva cause or calls themselves a Hindu, there will be a great risk for them.”
Referring to the above-mention speeches, the CJP complaint highlighted that the nature and content of his speeches were not only in contravention to the Model Code of Conduct issued by the Election Commission of India but also amounts to offences under the Indian Penal Code and the Representation of the People Act, 1951. It is crucial to note that as provided under the Model Code of Conduct, “No party or candidate shall include in any activity which may aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes and communities, religious or linguistic.”
Through this complaint, CJP has sought swift action by the commission for the serious violations committed by Raja Singh, who has a history of giving hate speeches, targeting the religious minority community, and spreading his divisive and communal agenda. Highlighting the ongoing FIRs filed against Singh pursuant to his conditional bail by the Telangana High Court on November 9, 2022, CJP has sought strict action against him, with the passing of necessary strictures against Singh. They have also urged the commission to bar him from giving any speeches at any poll-bound district of Karnataka, and also direct him to issue an unconditional public apology.
The complete complaint can be read here:
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