Political Satire Under Scrutiny: Neha Singh Rathore’s Plea Rejected by Allahabad High Court
(By: Syed Ali Taher Abedi)
Prayagraj, Sept 20 — The Allahabad High Court has declined to quash the FIR lodged against Bhojpuri folk singer and activist Neha Singh Rathore, who is facing legal proceedings over her controversial social media posts allegedly targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Bihar elections, and communal politics.
A division bench comprising Justice Rajesh Singh Chauhan and Justice Syed Qamar Hassan Rizvi ruled that the allegations in the FIR disclose prima facie cognizable offences, thereby warranting further investigation. The court directed Rathore to appear before the investigating officer on September 26, emphasizing that the timing of her tweets was a significant factor in the case.
“The petitioner is directed to participate in the investigation, which is pending pursuant to the impugned FIR, and she shall appear before the Investigating Officer on 26.09.2025 at 11.00 a.m. sharp to cooperate in the investigation and shall further cooperate in the investigation till filing of police report.”
The FIR was registered in April by the Hazratganj police in Lucknow under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The complaint stems from Rathore’s online statements, including one where she allegedly remarked that “instead of finding the terrorists, the BJP plunged the country into war.”
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Her legal counsel, Advocate Kamal Kishore Sharma, argued that Rathore’s posts were protected under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to freedom of speech and expression. However, the court opined that the Prime Minister’s name was used in a derogatory manner, which could not be shielded under constitutional protections without scrutiny.
“The case diary as placed before us shows that there are so many tweets but some of them have been reproduced in this order that goes to show that the posts written by the petitioner are against the Prime Minister of India and Home Minister of India. Name of the Prime Minister of India has been used in a derogatory and disrespectful manner. In such comments, the petitioner has used religious angle, Bihar election angle accusing the Prime Minister by name and saying that the B.J.P. Government is sacrificing the life of thousands of soldiers for its vested interest pushing the country in a war with a neighbouring country.”
Representing the state, Government Advocates V.K. Singh and Vipul Kumar Singh, along with Advocate S.N. Tilhari, opposed the petition, asserting that the content of Rathore’s posts had the potential to incite disharmony and warranted legal action.
The court’s decision marks a significant moment in the ongoing debate over the boundaries of political satire and free speech in India, especially when it involves commentary on high-ranking public officials.
