UP: Singer served notice over satire on government's eviction drive
What's the story
The Uttar Pradesh Police has issued a notice to famed Bhojpuri singer Neha Singh Rathore for a variant of her popular song UP Mein Ka Ba, in which she spoke of the alleged death of a mother-daughter duo in an eviction drive by the Yogi Adityanath government. The song, according to the police, "created a situation of disharmony and tension" in society.
Context
Why does this story matter?
The eviction drive by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Uttar Pradesh government has drawn flak for demolishing houses without judicial approval. UP is one of several Indian states where the bulldozer has lately come to symbolize "development" by the government. The BJP and its supporters however claim that it is freeing public land by clearing encroachments by "land sharks" and the "real estate mafia."
Details
Singer Neha Singh Rathore asked to respond within three days
Rathore recently posted her song UP Mein Ka Ba, ridiculing the UP administration for the demolition drive on Twitter, which apparently went viral. On Tuesday night, the police arrived at her father-in-law's residence with a letter stating that the song had "created a situation of disharmony and tension" in society and asked her to respond within three days.
Notice
'If reply is not satisfactory, case will be registered': Police
The police allegedly asked Rathore to clarify whether she stood by the song and whether she was "aware of the adverse impact of the video on society." "You are legally bound to make your stand clear on the issue," the police notice reads. "If your reply is not found satisfactory, a case will be registered... and proper legal investigation will be carried out."
Twitter Post
Watch: Rathore's satirical song here
यू पी में का बा..!
— Neha Singh Rathore (@nehafolksinger) February 16, 2023
Season 2#nehasinghrathore #kanpur #KANPUR_DEHAT #up #UPCM #Government #democracy #death pic.twitter.com/Onhv0Lhw12
Response
'This is intolerance': Rathore on police notice
Reacting to the police action, Rathore said, "I am just a folk singer. This is intolerance." "The idea is to scare away every voice of dissent or criticism," she told NDTV. "I will keep singing... I am not scared and I will not be intimidated at all. I will speak to my lawyers," she added.
Twitter Post
Visuals of the Uttar Pradesh Police at Rathore's house
'यू पी में का बा!' पर पुलिस का नोटिस..!#Nehasinghrathore #up @Uppolice @myogiadityanath @myogioffice #democracy pic.twitter.com/szZUsqvRCu
— Neha Singh Rathore (@nehafolksinger) February 21, 2023
Condemnations
Politicians condemned police action against singer
Meanwhile, several politicians condemned the police action against the singer, including former Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav and Delhi's Deputy CM Manish Sisodia. "UP Mein Ka Ba (What's with UP?), UP mein jhuthe case ki bahar ba (there are false cases in UP)," Yadav said. Meanwhile, Sisodia tweeted, "Is BJP so scared of the voice of a folk singer? Embarrassing. This is very shameful."
About
What do we know about Kanpur tragedy?
On February 13, a fire during an anti-encroachment drive killed 45-year-old Pramila Dixit and her 20-year-old daughter Neha at Madauli village in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur Dehat district, per reports. The residents claimed the administration didn't serve them any notice prior to the demolition. Later, the police booked 13 people in the case, including the sub-divisional magistrate, station house officer, and bulldozer operator, for murder.