Suspended BJP MLA advises Hindus against befriending Muslim women in Burqas

Suspended BJP legislator T. Raja Singh from Telangana recently told Hindu women not to befriend burqa-wearing women, a clear indication of spreading hate against the Muslim community. Singh was directed not to make inflammatory comments by the Telangana high court that granted him conditional bail, but he has repeatedly ignored the instructions and has continued to express hostility towards the minority group. In August 2022, he was detained for 75 days for his derogatory comments against Prophet Mohammed. During a recent speech in Adilabad town, Singh rallied Hindus to befriend only those who sport a tilak on their forehead and called on women to avoid befriending burqa-clad women. He also claimed there was a threat to Hindu women from Ayeshas who introduce them to Aftabs. Aftabs and Ayeshas refer to characters in the controversial film titled ‘The Kerala Story,’which purports that many Malayali women were forcefully converted to Islam and joined ISIS. The film’s authenticity has been called into question, but the BJP has used it to promote the love jihad conspiracy theory. Earlier this year, Singh also called for direct violence against the Muslim community, receiving a show-cause notice by the police in Hyderabad. He has also attended anti-Muslim rallies, where he urged fellow Hindus to boycott Muslims. The Telangana high court informed him not to make any derogatory and offensive comments on social media platforms as well, which he has blatantly ignored. Despite the court’s order, Singh has continued to spread hate against the Muslim community and has used his political position to further his extremist ideologies.