The Bharatiya Janata Party today suspended controversial Telangana legislator T Raja Singh from the party over his objectionable remarks targetting Prophet Muhammad and the Islam religion. The MLA was arrested earlier in the day following widespread protests against him. 

In a show-cause notice issued to Raja, the BJP’s central disciplinary committe said tht he has expressed views contrary to the party’s position on various matters, amounting to a violation of the party constitution. “I have been directed to convey to you that pending further inquiry, you are suspended from the party and from your responsibilities/assignments if any, with immediate effect, the notice read.

“Please also show cause within 10 days from the date of this notice as to why should you not be expelled from the party,” the notice added, stating that he has till September 2 to respond to the show-cause notice issued to him by Om Pathak, member of the BJP’s central disciplinary committee.

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The party had earlier sought to distance itself from the remarks made by the BJP MLA, but suspended him apparently under mounting pressure to act. The MLA was arrested earlier in the day and booked under several sections of the IPC including 295(a) (deliberate and malicious intention to hurt religious sentiments) and 153(a) (promoting enmity between two groups), among others.

Massive protests broke out in Hyderabad after a video of Singh allegedly delivering a provocative speech against Islam and Muslims went viral on social media. Protesters took to the streets in huge numbers demanding the arrest of the controversial MLA.

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No stranger to controversy, Raja has put the BJP in awkward situations on more occasions than one. In his most recent controversy, he was detained for allegedly issuing a threat to stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui who was scheduled to perform in the city last week. 

“Let them see what will happen if he is invited to stage a show in Hyderabad. Wherever the programme is held, we shall beat him up. Whoever offers him a venue, we shall set it afire,” Singh allegedly said in the video.