Threats against Munawar Faruqui's performance: BJP MLA Raja Singh detained

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad police have put BJP MLA T Raja Singh under house arrest before comedian Munawar Faruqui's show here on Saturday, August 20, after he threatened to assault Munawar and set the venue on fire if the show went on. The infamous lawmaker from the Goshamahal constituency of the Bharatiya Janata Party, who frequently delivers hate speeches against Muslims, was arrested after making fresh threats of harm against the comedian. "Since he has been planning to go to the venue and create violence, we have put him under detention," Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Goshamahal R Satish Kumar told TNM.

Following an open invitation from Telangana Minister KT Rama Rao, Munawar earlier planned a performance in Hyderabad for January of this year after his Bengaluru performance was postponed due to threats from Hindu organisations. KTR, the working president of the TRS, poked fun at the BJP-led government in Karnataka by claiming that Hyderabad was a really international city where standup comedians' performances weren't postponed over political disagreements. However, the BJP in Telangana also threatened to prevent Munawar's show at the time. Leaders of the BJP had claimed that Munawar had insulted Hindu deities and wounded Hindu feelings. The show was ultimately cancelled due to COVID-19 rules.

The date of Munawar's event, "Dongri to Nowhere," in Hyderabad is set for August 20, he stated on his Instagram page on August 10. The location of the performance is still unknown. Raja Singh published a video on August 11 after the announcement in which he attacked Munwar in a number of ways. "See what will happen if they invite him (Munawar). Wherever the program is, we will go and beat him up. Whoever offers him a venue, we will burn it down. If something goes wrong, KTR and the government and police are responsible," Raja Singh said. "We will definitely beat him up and send him back if he comes to Telangana, this is a challenge," he added.

"In the past too, our idiot Minister KTR offered police protection and invited him, saying his event will be a great success. But even then, when Hindu groups across Telangana united to threaten him, they got scared and cancelled the event," Raja Singh had said.