T Raja Singh: Protests broke out in front of city Police Commissioner CV Anand's office.
Telangana's BJP MLA T Raja Singh, arrested for his alleged derogatory comments on Prophet Muhammad, has got bail as the court rejected a police request for custody. Though the BJP suspended him, he got a hero's welcome at his office in Goshamal.
Here's your 10-point cheatsheet to this big story:
- A case was registered against T Raja Singh under various sections of the Indian Penal Code pertaining to promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs, and criminal intimidation, among others, cops said. The BJP suspended Mr Singh soon after his arrest.
- Mr Singh was arrested after widespread violence. According to reports, protests broke out in front of city Police Commissioner CV Anand's office and other parts of Hyderabad on Monday night. Many All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) legislators and corporators of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation reached the police stations and sought stringent action against T Raja Singh.
- "Has it become their official policy that they aren't satisfied with Nupur Sharma and they are making other MLAs say things? People are angry. People have tears in their eyes. Why are they saying things like this about Prophet Muhammad? Our demand is that the BJP should stop doing all this. People can see how much you hate the Prophet," AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said.
- Mr Singh had released a 10-minute video allegedly making derogatory comments about Prophet Muhammad. Taking a swipe at comedian Munawar Faruqui, whose show he unsuccessfully tried to disrupt recently, he said it was a "comedy" video just like Mr Faruqui's alleged videos on Hindu gods. He asked why the insult of Ram and Sita could pass off as comedy but not of other figures revered by other communities.
- During the arrest, Mr Singh told reporters that his video was pulled down by the social media platform on which it was uploaded and that he will upload "part 2" of the clip after his release. "They removed my video from YouTube. I don't know what the police are going to do. Once I am released second part (of the video) will certainly be uploaded. I am doing it for Dharma. I am ready to die for Dharma," he said.
- The protesters in Hyderabad said Mr Singh hurt the sentiments of the community and demanded his immediate arrest.
- A huge crowd had gathered outside the Commissioner's office and several other places in the city. Protesters were taken into custody and later shifted to various police stations.
- T Raja Singh, the MLA from Goshamahal in the city, had last week tried to disrupt a comedy show.
- On Friday, he was taken into preventive custody by the police when he tried to reach the venue of stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui's show along with around 50 supporters to get it cancelled. The show then passed off peacefully.
- Mr Singh's controversial comments come barely months after former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma triggered a massive diplomatic backlash with her remarks on the Prophet. Nupur Sharma was suspended by the BJP and as many as 10 cases were filed against her across the country.
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