On the face of it, Raghavendra Vikkram Singh seems to swear by the values laid down in the Indian Constitution. He's a former Indian Army Captain and government servant. Singh is also the district magistrate of Bareilly, as of the writing of this article, who shared a post on Facebook following communal clashes in Kasganj, which stated:
It has become a trend these days for people to barge into Muslim-dominated areas and then raise anti-Pakistan slogans. Why? Are they Pakistanis? A similar incident happened in Khailam village of Bareilly. There was stone-pelting and then FIRs were lodged.Vikkram Singh
After his post garnered nearly 400 reactions, numerous shares, and outrage, he edited it to something less controversial. Namely, this:
But who is the man in the eye of this storm?
A Man in Uniform
Vikkram Singh is a former captain of the Indian Army, as his personal blog details. Each of his posts, about a range of social issues, signs off with the handle, Captain Vikkram Singh, or Ex-Captain Vikkram Singh.
His social media profile reveals a man who besides serving as an army Captain, took pride in the uniform and what it stands for.
Photos of his past service, posts about the treatment of the Indian Army, and the struggles they face in the line of duty, repeatedly attest to his dedication to the uniform.
A Man of Culture
Singh’s writing, on a range of politically charged topics including Dalit atrocities, communal clashes and polarisation, belies a man, not just of understanding, but also of culture.
Apart from raising important questions through his writings, he shares excerpts from the books he is reading, pictures of the works that shape his thought.
He’s also an aficionado of theatre, an art form that finds scant appreciation in India.
A Self-Proclaimed Nationalist
Singh is a nationalist. He makes this clear in his Facebook profile.
Singh’s works, especially his writings, highlight his desire to better the country. A blog post he wrote titled, ‘A Case for Urban Management As a Subject for University Courses,’ makes this evident. He puts forth the idea that urban management, not just planning, should be made a subject in Indian universities.
His approach aims to create not just a better India for the present, but also equip Indians to make the most of the future. If put into place, he says they would go a long way towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Swachh Bharat’ Mission.
He’s a Public Figure
Singh was the District Magistrate of Shravasti in Uttar Pradesh before his posting as the District Magistrate of Bareilly. His position makes him a fairly prominent public figure in Bareilly.
Even rubbing shoulders with politicians, and major political leaders. Like in this photo with former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Or this photo with Lokpal Bill champion, Anna Hazare.
The post that put him in the spotlight was not the first of its kind. Singh wrote about another similar incident in Bareilly’s Khelam in 2017, Hindustan Times reported.
A group of devotees of Lord Shiva reportedly went through a Muslim-dominated village in the area and allegedly raised a number of slogans against Pakistan. After the incident, the socially conscious Singh put out a post on Facebook questioning the incident.
What is the need of raising such slogans? Even I will stop someone shouting such slogans outside my residence without any reason.Excerpt from Singh’s 2017 Facebook Post
(With inputs from Hindustan Times)
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