BJP MLA Raja Singh issued show cause notice for violating HC conditions

Hyderabad: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Goshamahal T. Raja Singh has been issued a show cause notice by the Mangalhat police for allegedly making derogatory comments on social media on the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition. This is a violation of the conditions laid out by the Telangana High Court during the release of the MLA on 9 November.

Telangana High Court Division Bench comprising Justice Abhisehk Reddy and Justice Juvvadi Sridevi had imposed certain strict conditions on Raja Singh which included not holding any press meets, rallies, and processions, and not making derogatory comments. "In future, the detenu shall not make any provocative speeches against any religion or post any derogatory or offensive posts on any social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, YouTube, etc," read the High Court order.

Violating this condition, on 6 December, the anniversary of Babri Masjid demolition, Raja Singh took to Twitter to pay tribute to people who "sacrificed their lives." The tweet read, "Tribute to Ram Kothari and Sharad Kothari. Tribute to crores of people who sacrificed their lives. Millions of salutations to all those Karsevaks on the foundation of whose sacrifice Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya is taking shape with complete grandeur." (Translated)

The Mangalghat police, in the notice to Raja Singh, said, "You have posted the photo under an objectionable caption targeting a particular community which is a violation of the condition imposed by the High Court."

Further, the police instructed Raja Singh to give a reply within two days from the receipt of the notice on why action cannot be initiated against him for violating the conditions imposed by the High Court. Failure to do so can render him liable for legal action.

Arrest, PD Act, and release

On 22 August, Raja Singh posted a controversial video on Shree Ram Telangana, a YouTube channel, where he made derogatory comments about Prophet Muhammad. The Hyderabad police said he had done this with the intention to provoke all sections of people and thereby cause a breach of peace and public tranquility. Raja Singh was arrested by the police on 23 August. Later, the Preventive Detention Act was invoked against him. Thereafter, Raja Singh's wife Usha Bai filed a writ petition against the invoking of the PD Act against her husband.