Meta removes 2 FB groups, 3 Insta accts linked to BJP MLA T. Raja Singh

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has taken down two Facebook groups and three Instagram accounts associated with BJP MLA T. Raja Singh. This decision follows a report from India Hate Lab (IHL) that highlighted the proliferation of hate speech on social media.

The IHL, a project by the Centre for the Study of Organised Hate (CSOH), a nonprofit think tank based in Washington, USA, published its findings on 10 February, revealing how social media platforms contributed to the spread of hate speech in 2024.

The deleted Facebook groups boasted over 1 million members, while the Instagram accounts collectively had more than 155,000 followers. Raja Singh, who has a history of making inflammatory remarks against Muslims, was banned from Facebook and Instagram in 2020 under Meta’s policy regarding "dangerous individuals and organisations".

Despite the ban, he and his supporters continued to disseminate his speeches by establishing a network of proxy groups and pages, particularly during the 2024 general elections. These platforms often promoted details of his events and amplified his hate-filled rhetoric.

IHL's report detailed the significant role social media played in hate speech incidents during political rallies, election campaigns, religious events, and nationalist gatherings. Facebook was identified as the main platform for disseminating hate speech, with 495 videos, while YouTube hosted 211.

The report also documented 266 instances of anti-minority hate speech by senior BJP leaders, mostly during the April-June general elections, which were live-streamed on various platforms.

Out of 259 recorded instances of dangerous speech, including explicit calls for violence, 219 were first shared or live-streamed on social media. Facebook accounted for 164 of these instances (74.9 per cent), followed by YouTube with 49 (22.4 per cent), and Instagram with six.

Raja Singh was noted in the report for delivering 32 hate speeches nationwide, 22 of which explicitly incited violence, primarily against Muslims and, in some cases, Christians. Sixteen of these speeches were originally shared on YouTube, while 13 appeared on Facebook.

Despite being banned, Singh and his supporters managed to circumvent restrictions by creating multiple proxy groups and pages. Key Facebook groups promoting his content included Raja Singh (Bhagyanagar) MLA and Tiger Raja Singh Official Group. Additionally, several other pages and groups in Hindi collectively attracted over 100,000 followers.

On Instagram, the main accounts associated with Singh were @rajasinghmla, @t.usharajasinghofficial, @t.rajabhaimla1, and @t.rajabhaimla3, which together had a following of nearly 198,900 users.

Singh, the Goshamahal MLA, has faced controversy in the past, including an arrest in August 2022 for allegedly making statements that outraged religious sentiments. Although he was suspended from the BJP, this suspension was lifted ahead of the 2023 Telangana assembly elections.