Hate Speeches
During a rally organized by the Hindu Janakroash Morcha, T Raja Singh, a far-right leader, and Telangana legislator made provocative statements inciting violence against Muslims and advocating for their economic boycott. Addressing a large gathering of young Hindus, Singh exhorted them to be willing to “die while making history.” Additionally, he issued a warning that if the government does not enact legislation on love jihad, religious conversions, and cow slaughter, Hindus will take matters into their own hands and resort to using swords.
“Teach a lesson to sons of Afzal”
After making a provocative call to violence against Muslims at the ‘Hindu Jan Akrosh Morcha’ in Mumbai, Telangana legislator T Raja Singh participated in Shiv Jayanti celebrations in Latur, Maharashtra on February 19. During the event, Singh claimed that without Shivaji, all Hindus would have been circumcised and called on Hindus to not be afraid of police action and to teach a lesson to those engaged in ‘Love Jihad’ and who ‘killed and ate gaumata’, referring to Muslims.
Singh had previously announced his intention to attend the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti or Shiv Jayanti in Latur through a video. Unlike the ‘Hindu Jan Akrosh Morcha’, this event did not have a political demand. In the video, Singh, who had received a notice from the police for his hate speech after the ‘Hindu Jan Akrosh Morcha’, encouraged his viewers to make the Shiv Jayanti celebration a historic event.
The Shiv Jayanti in Latur featured a bike rally, which was supposed to start at 10 am but was delayed and began at 11 am, covering a distance of 13.3 kilometers. The rally took several routes and ended at Shivaji chowk around 12:45 pm. At the start of the rally, an individual got out of a vehicle’s sunroof and garlanded the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji attached to the roof of the car. However, the rally participants flouted traffic rules, as no one was wearing helmets, and some individuals were standing on the sides of auto-rickshaws, disregarding safety.
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Call for violence against Muslims
On January 29, a march called the ‘Hindu Jan Akrosh Morcha’ was held in Mumbai, in which several BJP leaders participated. The march aimed to curb ‘Love Jihad’ and ‘Land Jihad’, enforce anti-conversion laws, and ban the use of loudspeakers in mosques. Multiple speakers delivered speeches that can be classified as hate speech, with content ranging from the dehumanization of Muslims to advocating for their economic and social boycotts. The speeches also contained misinformation and repeated derogatory remarks against the Muslim community.
Starting from Mumbai’s Shivaji Park and attended mostly by women, the march was intended to ensure the ‘safety of Hindu daughters and sisters’. However, it became an opportunity for the amplification of various far-right conspiracy theories that have gained mainstream recognition in recent years.
The event began around 10.30 am with a Marathi-speaking woman delivering a speech. After a few chants of ‘Jai Sri Ram’, she claimed that if Chhatrapati Shivaji had not existed, all Hindus would have been circumcised. Then, she informed the crowd that the rally was organized against ‘Love Jihad’ and ‘Land Jihad’, with minors dressed as Hindu deities and historical figures standing next to her.
Around 11.20 am, the crowd started walking, and the march took a strategic route from Shivaji Park Police Station Border to Kamgar Stadium via Meenatai Thackeray Statue, Shiv Sena Bhavan, Gokhale Road, Jakhdevi Chowk, Babu Bhallan Chowk, and Tilak Bhavan, covering a distance of about 2.2 kilometers.
In addition to the usual chants of ‘Jai Sri Ram’ and ‘Vande Mataram’, the procession raised slogans, seemingly to send a message to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena that they had become lenient on Hindutva issues.
Hindutva leader & Telangana MLA T Raja Singh gives an open call for violence & killing Muslims at the Hindu Jan Akrosh Morcha event organized by Sakal Hindu Samaj. Hindutva leader Sakshi Gaikwad in her genocidal speech said that “Muslims are like sacrificial lambs, waiting to be sacrificed.”
More than 10000 people attended this event on Jan 29. For more information click here
Derogatory Remarks Against Muslims
Facebook ban
Singh has pending cases against him relating to his comments about Islam.[2] On 2 September 2020, Facebook labeled Singh as a “dangerous individual” and banned him from all Facebook platforms.[8]
Arrest
Already having a long criminal history being arrested was nothing new to Singh. He was arrested by Hyderabad Police on 23 August 2022, mere hours after his comments[9] about Prophet Muhammad which sparked protests in Hyderabad.[10]
Suspension
He was suspended from BJP on 23 August for allegedly violating party norms.[11][12][13] He was released on bail the same evening but later arrested again on 25 August 2022.[14]
BIO
Tiger Raja Singh, an Indian politician born on April 15, 1977, previously served as a member of the Telangana Legislative Assembly, representing the Goshamahal assembly constituency in Hyderabad. He was a member of the Telugu Desam Party before joining the Bharatiya Janata Party. During his time in the BJP, he served as the party whip for Telangana. However, on August 23, 2022, he was suspended from the party due to allegations of insulting Prophet Mohammed.