Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha Protests in Jalalpur over Media Coverage of Neha Singh Rathore

Activists of the Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha staged a demonstration in Jalalpur in Ambedkar Nagar to protest against media reporting involving folk singer Neha Singh Rathore. Led by District President Balgovind Gautam, the protesters burned an effigy of media personnel and raised slogans to express their anger.

Protests And Reactions

The protesters stated that media is a vital pillar of democracy and must present news fairly and on the basis of facts. They alleged that the media's approach in the case of Neha Singh Rathore was not proper and demanded that journalists follow core principles of journalism. Meanwhile, Bhojpuri singer Neha Singh Rathore accused a private news channel of character assassination and running fake news linking her to an alleged sex racket, causing severe mental harassment. Although the private channel issued an apology and expressed regret on its official X handle, Rathore rejected the apology, stating that her dignity was hurt and demanding justice instead of a mere apology. She tagged the Prime Minister, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the National Commission for Women, and the Uttar Pradesh Police on social media to seek action and consider legal steps.

Support And Condemnation

According to BBC, the incident drew strong reactions from political leaders and student groups. BJP Mandi MP Kangna Ranaut posted on X that dragging any woman's name through the dirt for TRP is very cheap, even though she and Rathore hold different ideologies. Congress MP Pawan Khera and AISA National President Neha Bora also criticized the private news channel and the Prime Minister's Office over the broadcast, calling the action unforgivable.

Context

Folk artists and commentators often use social media platforms to address public controversies and raise legal concerns when disputes arise. Media organizations and news channels are expected to maintain strict factual accuracy, and public figures frequently rely on digital platforms to voice grievances and demand accountability.