FIR filed against Folk Singer Neha Singh Rathore over Pahalgam attack posts

An FIR has been filed with Lucknow Police against folk singer Neha Singh Rathore over social media posts questioning the PM Modi-led government on the Pahalgam attack

Folk singer Neha Singh Rathore has been booked for sedition under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, following a series of posts about the recent terror attack in Pahalgam. The case was registered on Sunday at the Hazratganj police station in Lucknow, local authorities confirmed.

 

Folk singer criticises PM Modi

The charges stem from comments Rathore made on the social media platform X, where she criticised the PM Modi-led government’s handling of the security situation. In a post dated April 23, Rathore accused the government of exploiting caste and religion for political gains, alleging that the Pulwama attack was used to garner votes and suggesting that a similar narrative would be constructed following the Pahalgam incident.

 

 

In a series of posts, she questioned the postponement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s planned visit to Jammu on April 19, just days before the April 22 attack, in which 26 people, including a Nepali national, were killed. Rathore implied that the delay might have been due to fears of an attack, and further criticised spiritual figure Dhirendra Shastri, sarcastically questioning why he had not foreseen the tragedy if he were a ‘miracle worker’.

 

In a subsequent post, Rathore challenged the government’s response to the attack, stating, “Terrorist attacks are failures of the government, and those in power must be held accountable.” She said questioning the government should not be equated with disloyalty, criticising what she described as a decline in common sense among citizens.

 

FIR filed against Neha Singh Rathore

The complaint, lodged by poet Abhay Pratap Singh, accused Rathore of inciting communal disharmony and undermining national integrity through her posts. According to the FIR registered on April 27, Rathore faces charges under Sections 196(1)(a), 196(1)(b), 197(1)(a), 197(1)(b), 197(1)(c), 197(1)(d), 353(1)(c), 353(2), 302, and 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, as well as Section 69A of the Information Technology (Amendment) Act, 2008.

 

In his complaint, Singh alleged that Rathore’s posts could provoke tensions between religious communities at a time when national sentiment was unified against the terror attack, warning that her statements could disrupt public tranquillity.

 

Neha Singh Rathore responds to complaint

Responding to the FIR, Rathore posted on X, “What action has the government taken so far regarding the Pahalgam attack? An FIR against me? If you have the courage, bring back the heads of the terrorists! Filing an FIR against me is merely an attempt to divert attention from the real issues — is this so difficult to understand?”

 

Who is Neha Singh Rathore?

Neha Singh Rathore is a political satirist and folk singer who rose to fame through her Bhojpuri songs critiquing social and political issues. Born in 1997 in Jandaha, Bihar, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Kanpur University in 2018. She began her career in 2019 by recording folk songs on her mobile phone and posting them on Facebook, later citing Bhojpuri poets Bhikhari Thakur and Mahendar Misir as inspirations.

 

Rathore launched her YouTube channel in May 2020, initially to highlight the plight of migrant workers during the Covid-19 lockdown. Her political satire gained attention by October 2020, and by 2021, she had more than 100,000 subscribers. Her songs such as ‘Bihar Mein Ka Ba’ (2020), ‘UP Mein Ka Ba?’ (2022), and ‘MP Mein Ka Ba?’ (2023) became popular for addressing governance failures and social issues during state elections. In 2023, she faced controversy when a case was filed against her over a caricature linked to the Madhya Pradesh urination incident.

 

Police investigations into the matter are ongoing, with further legal proceedings expected in the coming days.

 

(With agency inputs)