Bengaluru is the next site for supremacist censorship. First Munawar Faruqui, then Atul Khatri now Vir Das.
A group affiliated to Hindutva supremacism has urged the police to cancel a show by stand-up comedian Vir Das scheduled for November 10 at T Chowdiah Memorial Hall in Vyalikaval. The Goa-based Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) submitted a letter to the Vyalikaval police on Monday, asking for cancelling Das’ show, which “hurts Hindu sentiments and shows India in a bad light” reported Deccan Herald.
The letter by the outfit’s state spokesperson, Mohan Gowda, cites “derogatory” comments Das reportedly made during a show at the John F Kennedy Center in Washington DC, USA, about India, the prime minister and women. Stating that Das had said “in India, we worship women in the day and rape them at night” during the performance, the outfit said a case was registered by the Mumbai Police in this regard, and the words involved a a serious offence under the Indian Penal Code.
Given this background, it is not right to allow such a controversial person to hold such a programme in a “communally sensitive area like Bengaluru”, the statement further said, “When Karnataka is already facing many law and order problems due to communal incidents, such events which could vitiate the law and order should not be allowed. We demand that this programme should be cancelled immediately.”
In September 2022, a show by stand-up comedian Atul Khatri could not take place in the city, after the police denied permission, citing the “late, incomplete application” by the organisers for the no-objection certificate.
Earlier, a show by another stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui was cancelled in Bengaluru, as police claimed the organisers had not taken permission. Hindutva organisations also had petitioned the police chief, accusing Faruqui of “hurting religious sentiments”.
A police officer said they had received the letter but said any further action would be taken only after obtaining information about the comedy show.
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