Who's Neha Singh Rathore, Folk Singer Faces Sedition Case for ‘Objectionable Posts’ on Pahalgam Terror Attack

A sedition case has been filed against Bhojpuri folk singer Neha Singh Rathore by the Lucknow police following allegations that her recent social media posts could threaten the country's unity after the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 innocent lives. The complaint has been lodged at Hazratganj police station in which Rathore is accused of sharing provocative videos targeting a specific faith community, as per media reports.

The complaint also alleged that Pakistani media amplified her post regarding the Pahalgam terrorist attack. Abhay Pratap Singh, the complainant, argues that in any situation singer and poetess Neha Singh Rathore, using her X handle (formerly Twitter), made some objectionable posts that can adversely affect the national integrity and made repeated efforts to incite one community against another based on religion.

Based on the complaint, the police booked Neha Singh Rathore under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including provisions related to promoting sectarian hostility, disturbing public peace, and endangering India's sovereignty, unity, and integrity. Officials stated Folk Singer was also charged under the Information Technology Act.

While the BNS does not specifically mention sedition as under Section 124A of the former Indian Penal Code, Section 152 of the new criminal code addresses actions that pose a threat to the nation's sovereignty and unity.

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Who is Neha Singh Rathore?

Neha Singh Rathore was born in 1997 and grew up in Jandaha. Her father works as an architect, while her mother is a singer and homemaker. She is the youngest of three siblings and graduated with a B.Sc. from Kanpur University in 2018.

Rathore started her journey as a composer and singer of Bhojpuri folk songs in 2019. Using a phone to record her songs, she uploaded videos to Facebook. She credits Bhojpuri poets Bhikhari Thakur and Mahendar Misir as key inspirations for her music. During the COVID-19 pandemic, after witnessing the struggles of migrant workers due to the March 2020 lockdown, she launched her YouTube channel in May 2020. Through social media and music, she also spoke about social issues. Now, she has a YouTube family of 1.45 million.

Her work became popular on social media and by October 2020, she had released around fifty popular videos, known for their satirical take on politics and political figures. Her 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), have resonated widely on social media.