India: popular singer harassed for critical song on social issues
Event- Country
- India
- Initial Date
- Feb 19, 2023
- Event Description
Neha Singh Rathore has been served police notice to which she will have to reply within three days. In the notice, she has been asked whether it was her in the video and whether she herself uploads the videos on her channels. Who wrote the scripts and whether she stands by those words -- the notice asked.
Neha Singh Rathore of 'UP Mein Ka Ba' fame has been served a notice by the Kanpur Police on Tuesday night for allegedly inciting hatred through her song video. Neha Singh Rathore's U Mein Ka Ba was released ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election 2022, after the success of his Bihar mein Ka ba in 2020. On February 16, the singer released the second part of UP Mein Ka Ba regarding which the notice has been served on her asking whether she wrote the lyrics of the songs.
The singer shared a video of her receiving the notice. "Who is making you do all these?" the singer said to the cops as she received the notice. Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia called the move by the Uttar Pradesh police shameful and said, "Is the BJP so scared of the voice of a folk singer?" Samajwadi chief, former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav also reacted to the police notice to Neha Singh Rathore.
The latest song of Neha questions the government over the death of two women in a bulldozer drive in Kanpur Dehat -- one of the latest political controversies.
In the notice, Neha Singh Rathore has been asked several questions regarding her social media channels. She has been asked to verify it was her in the video apart from details like whether she herself uploaded the video. In another question, it has been asked whether the lyrics of the songs are written by her and whether she stands by those lyrics. "If you have not written the lyrics, then has the lyricist taken your permission?" the police notice said. It asked the singer if she is aware of the "adverse impact" of the video on society.
"This song has created enmity and tension in society, and you are legally bound to make your stand clear on the issue. So, you are required to file your reply within three days of receiving the notice," the UP Police's notice read.
"In case, the reply is not found satisfactory. If your reply is not found satisfactory, then a case will be registered under the relevant sections of IPC and CRPC, and proper legal investigation will be carried out," it added.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Woman
- Violation
- Intimidation and Threats
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression
- Offline
- Right to healthy and safe environment
- Freedom of expression
- HRD
- Artist
- WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Event Location
Latitude: 26.42097203722115
Longitude: 82.5410711985297
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
On 19 February 2023, Neha Singh Rathore, artist, was questioned by the police as a way of intimidation days after releasing a new song critical of authorities after two womnen burn themselves to protest against their eviction in Ambedkar Nagar, India.