Bhojpuri folk singer Neha Singh Rathore has filed a petition in the Allahabad High Court seeking to quash an FIR lodged against her in Lucknow. The FIR pertains to a video she posted on social media following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which resulted in the deaths of 28 civilians, predominantly Hindu tourists. In her video, Rathore criticized the central government’s handling of the attack, attributing it to intelligence and security failures. She also suggested that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) might use the incident to garner votes in upcoming elections, similar to strategies employed after the 2019 Pulwama attack .

The FIR, filed by Abhay Pratap Singh at the Hazratganj police station, accuses Rathore of promoting enmity between different groups and making statements prejudicial to national integration. She has been booked under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act, including charges related to sedition and inciting public mischief .

Rathore has defended her actions, asserting her right to question the government and highlighting issues such as education, health, and unemployment. She contends that her video was a form of satire aimed at holding the government accountable, a fundamental aspect of a functioning democracy .

The Allahabad High Court is expected to hear her petition in the coming days. The case has sparked a broader debate on the limits of free speech and the role of satire in political discourse.

Sources