UP Police sends notice to singer over video

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Police has sent a notice to Bhojpuri folk singer Neha Singh Rathore, known for her video "UP Me Ka Ba", over her latest song which created "disharmony and tension".

In the 1.09-minute video shared by Rathore on Twitter on February 16, she criticised the Yogi Adityanath government and mentioned the chief minister's name while referring to the Kanpur Dehat incident in which two women immolated themselves during an anti-encroachment drive. "I am just a folk singer, nothing in front of these big leaders. This is intolerance. The idea is to scare away every voice of dissent or criticism. Every voice that can cut their votes," Ms Rathore said.

"I stand by the song and I will keep on singing. They had trolled me so much last time. Why should I stop now... I am not afraid, and I will not be intimidated at all. I will speak to my lawyers," she said.

The notice was sent to Rathore on Tuesday by the inspector of the Akbarpur police station in Kanpur Dehat stating that her latest video "UP Me Ka Ba - Season 2" created "disharmony and tension". "You are asked to explain within three days about the video. If your reply is found unsatisfactory, action can be taken against you under the relevant sections of IPC/CrPC," the notice read. Rathore also posted on her Twitter account a video of the police personnel serving the notice on her.

In the notice, Rathore has been asked to explain whether she featured in the video, whether she herself posted it on Twitter and does she manage YouTube and Twitter accounts in her name on her own. She was also asked whether lyrics of the song was composed by her and has she verified the facts in it and whether she was aware of the effects of the words used in the song on society.