Lokgeet singer Neha Singh Rathore has been booked again, this time in Varanasi, for allegedly making derogatory remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi in one of her recent videos. The FIR was registered at Sigra Police Station based on a complaint filed by Dr. Saurabh Maurya, president of the social organization Sadhana Foundation.
According to the complaint, Rathore referred to the Prime Minister using terms like "coward" and "General Dyer," and her video has reportedly been broadcast on Pakistani media channels. Dr. Maurya claimed that this act not only insults the Prime Minister but also undermines the country’s global image.The FIR has been filed under three sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS): 197(1)(a) for acts that harm national unity, 197(1)(d) for spreading misleading or false statements threatening national cohesion, and 353(2) for disturbing public order and social harmony.
The case has reignited public discourse around freedom of expression, with several supporters defending Neha Singh Rathore’s right to dissent through art. Critics, however, argue that her choice of words crosses the line between critique and insult.
The legal proceedings are likely to draw national attention in the run-up to the general elections.
