An FIR was registered against popular folk singer Neha Singh Rathore on Sunday at a police station in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, for sharing “objectionable” content on social media to the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack that resulted in the deaths of 26 people.
Authorities accused Rathore of posting “provocative” content targeting a particular religious community following the Pahalgam tragedy. These posts were allegedly inflammatory and could potentially harm the nation’s unity, according to reports from PTI news agency.
Poet Abhay Pratap Singh, who resides in Gudamba, Kursi Road, filed the complaint at Hazratganj police station, expressing concern over Rathore’s posts. Singh claimed that the singer used her Twitter (now X) account, @nehafolksinger, to share content that could damage national integrity and incite communal discord.
As a result of the complaint, Rathore has been booked under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including promoting communal disharmony, disturbing public peace, and endangering India’s sovereignty and unity. She has also been charged under the Information Technology Act.
In response to the FIR, Neha Singh Rathore shared a video on her social media platform, X, defending herself. She addressed claims made by the BJP’s IT cell, which labeled her anti-national, stating, “Some Pakistani social media handle copied my video. 14 members of my family have served in the Indian Army and paramilitary forces. My brother is fighting Naxalites in Chhattisgarh, and my uncle fought in the Kargil war.”
Neha Singh Rathore, born in 1997 in Kaimur district, Bihar, is known for her folk music that aims to preserve Bhojpuri tradition. Rathore claims to fight for the honor of Bhojpuri music through her songs. She grew up in Bihar’s Jandaha and completed her Bachelor of Science degree from Kanpur University in 2018.
Rathore launched her YouTube channel in May 2020 to raise awareness about the challenges faced by migrant workers during the Covid-19 lockdown. She gained national recognition in 2022 with her song ‘UP Mein Ka Ba,’ which followed the success of ‘Bihar Mein Ka Ba’ in 2020.
Known for her folk music that tackles social issues such as unemployment, corruption, dowry, and politics, Rathore’s songs aim to preserve Bhojpuri culture against the rise of “sleazy” film music. She is married to writer Himanshu Singh since 2021.
Rathore has faced several controversies in the past, including a case filed against her in July 2023 for sharing a caricature to the Madhya Pradesh urination incident. In February 2023, Kanpur Police issued her a notice for allegedly inciting hatred with the second version of her song ‘UP Mein Ka Ba.’
Some of her popular tracks include ‘Bihar Mein Ka Ba’ (2020), ‘UP Mein Ka Ba?’ (2022), ‘UP Mein Ka Ba? Session-2’ (2023), and ‘MP Mein Ka Ba?’ (2023). These songs gained widespread popularity on social media, often addressing governance issues, including the Covid-19 crisis, Lakhimpur Kheri violence, and the Hathras gang rape case.
