T. Raja Singh

T. Raja Singh (born 15 April 1977) is an Indian politician from the state of Telangana.[2] He is the incumbent MLA of the Telangana Legislative Assembly representing the Goshamahal Assembly constituency in Hyderabad.[3] He started his political career in Telugu Desam Party until he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2014. He was part of the BJP until 23 August 2022 when he was suspended over allegations of insulting the Islamic prophet Muhammad amid the 2022 Muhammad remarks controversy. Singh had served as the party whip of BJP for the state of Telangana.[4][5]

Raja Singh
Member of Telangana Legislative Assembly
Assumed office
2014
Preceded byMukesh Goud
ConstituencyGoshamahal
Personal details
Born
T. Raja Singh

(1977-04-15) 15 April 1977
Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India[1]
Political partyIndependent
Other political
affiliations
Residence(s)Dhoolpet, Hyderabad

Career

Singh started his political career by joining the TDP in 2009 and was elected to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation from the Mangalhat constituency until 2014.[6] He joined the BJP ahead of the 2014 Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly election and successfully contested from the Goshamahal Assembly constituency with a margin of 46,793 against his nearest rival Mukesh Goud from the Indian National Congress.[7][8][9]

In 2018, he was once again elected to the Telangana Legislative Assembly from the same constituency with a margin of 17,734 against the Bharat Rashtra Samithi candidate Prem Singh Rathore.[10]

Controversies

In 2017, Singh was surrounded by a number of controversies related to hate speeches including his remarks in May 2017 allegedly describing the Old City area in Hyderabad as mini Pakistan.[11] In July 2017, he waded into another controversy by appealing to the Hindu community in the state of West Bengal to respond in the manner similar to the 2002 Gujarat riots.[12] He has also repeatedly called for the establishment of a Hindu Rashtra including through armed means.[13][14][15]

In June 2018, Singh called for a ban on the Quran.[16] Later again in July 2018, Singh stirred controversy over his vocal anti-Muslim views, which included calling them traitors and backing the shooting of Rohingya people.[17][18] On 10 March 2023, during the occasion of Shiv Jayanti - the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj - in Shrirampur town of Ahmednagar district, T Raja Singh made derogatory remarks against Muslims which lead to rioting.[19]

Amid the 2022 Muhammad remarks controversy, Singh was arrested by the Hyderabad Police on 23 August 2022, mere hours after his comments about Prophet Muhammad which sparked protests in Hyderabad.[20] He was subsequently suspended from BJP for violating party norms.[21] He was released on bail the same evening but later arrested again on 25 August 2022.[22][23]

Singh has pending cases against him relating to his incendiary anti-Muslim speeches.[3] On 2 September 2020, Facebook labelled Singh as a "dangerous individual" and banned him from all Facebook platforms.[24] On 27 Oct 2022, the Hyderabad Police claimed that 101 criminal cases had been registered against the legislator, of which 18 were related to communal offences.[25]

References
  1. "SRI T. RAJA SINGH LODH". Telangana Legislative Assembly. Archived from the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  2. "Sri T. Raja Singh". www.legislature.telangana.gov.in. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  3. "Cases against former BJP MLA Raja Singh double in four years". The Times of India. 20 November 2018.
  4. "Telangana BJP MLA Raja Singh Lodh says ready to kill people for eating beef, threatens Dadri-like incident"..
  5. Bureau, The Hindu (23 August 2022). "BJP suspends Telangana MLA Raja Singh". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  6. "Who is Raja Singh, the suspended BJP MLA from Telangana?". cnbctv18.com. 24 August 2022. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  7. "Who is Telangana BJP MLA T Raja Singh, arrested for remarks against Prophet?". India Today.
  8. Alamgir, Mir (4 September 2022). "Sriram Yuva Sena: Raja Singh's Hindutva group in Hyderabad comes alive". The Siasat Daily.
  9. "Goshamahal Assembly constituency (Telangana): Full details, live and past results". News18. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  10. "Live GOSHAMAHAL Seat Election Result 2018 in Telangana". NDTV.com. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  11. "BJP MLA, who described old Hyderabad as 'mini Pakistan', booked". www.newindianexpress.com. 14 May 2017. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  12. "'Hindus in Bengal should respond like they did in Gujarat". www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 19 July 2017. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  13. "Cases booked against BJP Telangana MLA and Ram Sene chief for". www.business-standard.com. 15 December 2017. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  14. "Hate speech: Another case filed against suspended BJP MLA Raja Singh in Hyderabad". www.m.timesofindia.com. 3 April 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  15. "Suspended BJP MLA T Raja Singh booked for hate speech at Shivjayanti event". www.indianexpress.com. 14 March 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  16. "BJP MLA Raja Singh to be charged for hateful remarks of banning 'green book'". www.deccanchronicle.com. 18 June 2018. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  17. Horwitz, Newley Purnell and Jeff (14 August 2020). "Facebook's Hate-Speech Rules Collide With Indian Politics". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  18. "'Only Criticised AIMIM, Not Muslims': 5 Instances That Prove Raja Singh Wrong". www.thequint.com. 11 October 2022. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  19. "Hate speeches: Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar police register 7 FIRs for property damage, stone pelting". www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 20 March 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  20. Tomar, Ajay (23 August 2022). "BJP MLA Raja Singh was held for comments against the Muslims, while he replied that all his comments were a retort to controversial "comedian" Munnawar Faruqui's show, where he abused and insulted Hindu gods". The South First. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  21. "BJP Telangana MLA T Raja Singh suspended for remarks against Prophet Mohammad". Hindustan Times. 23 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  22. "Out on bail, suspended Telangana BJP leader T Raja Singh arrested again". The Indian Express. 25 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  23. "BJP MLA Raja Singh to walk out of jail after 76 days". The News Minute. 9 November 2022.
  24. "Facebook bans politician of India's ruling party for violating hate speech".
  25. "Telangana advisory board upholds BJP leader Raja Singh's detention under PD Act". www.indiatoday.in. 27 October 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
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