An FIR was registered on Sunday against folk singer Neha Singh Rathore at the Hazratganj police station in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, for sharing “objectionable” content on social media regarding the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack, which claimed 26 lives.
According to officials, Rathore’s posts were described as “provocative” and allegedly targeted a specific faith community in the aftermath of the Pahalgam tragedy. Authorities said her content could potentially threaten the nation's unity, as reported.
The complaint was filed by poet Abhay Pratap Singh, a resident of Gudamba, Kursi Road. In his statement, Singh alleged, “In this situation, singer and poetess Neha Singh Rathore, using her Twitter (now X) handle @nehafolksinger, made some objectionable posts that can adversely affect national integrity and made repeated efforts to incite one community against another based on religion.”
Following the complaint, the Uttar Pradesh Police booked Rathore under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges related to promoting communal disharmony, disturbing public peace, and endangering India's sovereignty, unity, and integrity. She has also been charged under provisions of the Information Technology Act, the police said.
In response to the controversy, Neha Singh Rathore posted a video message on her social media platform X, stating, “BJP’s IT cell is calling me anti-national because some Pakistani social media handle copied my video. Fourteen members of my family have served in the Indian Army and paramilitary forces. My brother is fighting Naxalites in Chhattisgarh and my uncle fought in the Kargil war.”
Also Read: 'We were having bhelpuri, when terrorist shot my husband'
Who is Neha Singh Rathore?
Neha Singh Rathore was born in 1997 in Bihar’s Kaimur district. On her social media profiles, she describes herself as someone "fighting to restore the honour" of Bhojpuri music through her folk songs. Raised in Jandaha, Bihar, Rathore completed her Bachelor of Science degree from Kanpur University in 2018.
She launched her YouTube channel in May 2020, initially using the platform to highlight the struggles of migrant workers during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Rathore gained widespread recognition in 2022 with her song ‘UP Mein Ka Ba’, which followed her earlier viral hit ‘Bihar Mein Ka Ba’ released in 2020. In 2021, she married writer Himanshu Singh.
Through her folk music, Rathore addresses social issues such as unemployment, corruption, dowry, and politics, aiming to preserve the Bhojpuri tradition in contrast to the growing trend of what she terms "sleazy" Bhojpuri film songs.
In July 2023, Rathore faced controversy after a case was filed against her for posting a caricature related to the Madhya Pradesh urination incident, where a man was seen urinating on a tribal labourer. Earlier, in February 2023, Kanpur Police had served her a notice for allegedly inciting hatred through the second version of her song ‘UP Mein Ka Ba’.
Neha Singh Rathore is known for her popular songs including ‘Bihar Mein Ka Ba’ (2020), ‘UP Mein Ka Ba?’ (2022), ‘UP Mein Ka Ba? Session-2’ (2023), and ‘MP Mein Ka Ba?’ (2023), all of which gained significant attention on social media.
Her music frequently highlights governance issues and social injustices, touching upon events such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, and the Hathras gang rape case.
Also Read: Pahalgam attack: Survivor's 'save my husband' cry echoed
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