A new group in Goshamahal has come out in support of Hindutva leader and Goshamahal MLA T Raja Singh after the Bharatiya Janata Party suspended him over his derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammed.
Until now, the organization had not been heard of. As part of Raja Singh’s support, it called and enforced a bandh in Goshamahal last week.
In all likelihood, Raja Singh floated the Sriram Yuva Sena long ago in order to reinforce his national role as a Hindutva leader. A fan following was also built in order to increase the popularity of the MLA.
The derogatory comments Singh made last month about Prophet Muhammad led to his arrest. His actions were a response to the state government allowing comedian Munawar Faruqui to perform in Hyderabad at Madhapur on August 20. For him, the whole controversy has turned out to be a blessing.
Raja Singh formed the Sriram Yuva Sena to stop cow smuggling and slaughter and to counter religious conversion, according to sources.
Raja Singh’s political affiliations remained confined to Telugu Desam Party (2009 – 2013) and Bhartiya Janata Party (2014 onward), winning two consecutive seats as MLA at the state level.
Until the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) top leadership revokes the suspension and offers something significant, the ‘never-ever heard’ group will take center stage, except within intelligence circles of former and present Andhra Pradesh and Telangana police.
Several sources within Sriram Yuva Sena said that the group is primarily composed of gau-rakshaks and has operations in Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Delhi, and Karnataka. As soon as I am released from jail, I will work harder to strengthen the group in all states. It is the aim to have a large pool of volunteers who can fight for the protection of ‘Dharma’,” he said.
Raja Singh, who extensively used ‘Dharma’ (religion) for his rise, was undeterred when the BJP suspended him for humiliating the party, just months after Nupur Sharma, a BJP spokesperson, was suspended for making similar remarks about the Prophet, which were widely condemned by the world community.
After careful consideration, the legislator and his supporters decided that the Sriram Yuva Sena would be a suitable organization. Those who support Raja Singh now want to heavily rely on the organization named after Lord Ram for their future actions, which will move masses and the youth into its folds,” said an intelligence official.
A saffron group called Hindu Yuva Vahini had been formed by UP chief minister Yogi Adiyanath years before he entered politics. It was under his patronage that the organization prospered during his tenure as MP from Gorakhpur.
“The same model is being emulated here by Raja Singh because he believes the time is right for him,” the official said.
It is evident from Raja Singh’s massive rallies during Hanuman Jayanti and Sri Rama Navami that he garnered the support of the youth of Hyderabad.
Since his childhood, Thakur Raja Singh Lodh has been associated with Hindu organizations in Dhoolpet, Hyderabad. His affiliation with the RSS and Bajrang Dal led him to become a Telugu Desam Party corporator in Hyderabad municipal corporation in 2014 after he was elected from the party by N Chandrababu Naidu.
His involvement in Hindu activism in Hyderabad continued even while he was part of the TDP. When Raja Singh hadn’t yet joined the BJP, Hindu monks crowned him Hindu Hrudaya Samrat in January 2013.
While the BJP lost deposits in over 100 assembly segments among 119 constituencies in Telangana in the 2018 assembly election due to his uncompromising Hindutva stand, he emerged as the favorite in his constituency and the only MLA for the party.
His YouTube channel has become popular, and an army of volunteers supports him via social media. 3.7 lakh people subscribe to his YouTube channel, ‘Shree Ram Channel Telangana’.
There will soon be more subscribers to his YouTube channel thanks to his regular videos. Sooner or later, Sriram Yuva Sena is expected to conduct membership drives to increase membership.