BJP suspends Goshamahal MLA Raja Singh over Prophet remark

Hyderabad: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday suspended its Goshamahal MLA Raja Singh for making derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad.

"You have expressed views contrary to the party's position on various matters, which is in clear violation of rule 25.10(a) of the constitution of the Bharatiya Janata Party. I have been directed to convey to you that pending further inquiry, you are suspended from the party and your responsibilities or assignments if any, with immediate effect," read the letter signed by Om Pathak, the secretary of BJP's central disciplinary committee.

The committee also directed Raja Singh to show cause within 10 days why he should not be expelled from the party.

BJP Telangana spokesperson Krishna Sagar Rao said, "BJP is a national party that believes in integral humanism. We respect all communities, religions, and faiths. We don't subscribe to, and in fact are against, any public discourse involving abuse and hate between communities. So, it is completely out of the party's framework that MLA Raja Singh has spoken or made that video. We completely disassociate ourselves from that video and the statements he made. It has nothing to do with the BJP."

He further said the party has responded very quickly to the issue. "The party has taken a very quick decision in suspending him and issuing a show cause notice asking him why he should not be expelled. Other parties should reciprocate. I am challenging the MIM party to do the same by suspending Asaduddin Owaisi and Akbaruddin Owaisi for making many such statements in the past," added Mr. Rao.

Earlier, on Tuesday morning, Raja Singh was arrested by the Hyderabad city task force and the Shahithyagunj police.

On 22 August midnight, Raja Singh released a video on Shree Ram Channel Telangana, a YouTube channel, in which he made derogatory comments against Prophet Muhammad. This disturbed the people of the Muslim community and massive protests erupted in several parts of the city, including Dabeerpura, Humayun Nagar, Charminar, and near Hyderabad CP office in Basheerbagh.

In the video, Raja Singh also abused comedian Munawar Faruqui and his mother, two days after the comedian's show in Hyderabad. It is important to recall that Raja Singh attempted to disrupt Munawar Faruqui's show held at Shilpakala Vedika in Hyderabad on 21 August.

Meanwhile, responding to Raja Singh's remarks, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said it has become BJP's official policy to disturb and target Muslims and the country's diversity. "They haven't learnt from what Nupur Sharma said. In fact, this is a continuation of what she said," said Mr. Owaisi. He further asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi if he agrees with such derogatory comments.