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Popular stand-up comedian Abhishek Upmanyu has come under severe criticism after a controversial response to a Pakistani social media user’s post. The backlash escalated quickly, leading the comedian to deactivate his official account on X (formerly Twitter), even as the country continues to mourn the recent Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 innocent lives, mostly tourists, in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22.
The uproar began when internet personality Abhijit Iyer Mitra reposted an abusive note about women across the border. In response to that, a Pakistani user with the handle @lilmisskhawaja wrote a scathing comment criticizing Indian society, stating, “Zero class. Abuse is not equal to humour. The whole world sees your country as this hub of rapists and rightfully so. This is ‘funny’ according to the average Indian. You lot deserve all the racism you’re facing in the west.”
Abhishek Upmanyu replied with a simple “Yup”, seemingly agreeing with the controversial post. This single-word response did not sit well with Indian users, many of whom accused the comedian of disrespecting his own country and endorsing hate speech. Social media platforms quickly flooded with angry reactions calling for accountability from public figures.
Soon after the controversy exploded, Upmanyu’s X account became unavailable, suggesting he had either deactivated it or removed it due to the backlash. As of now, the comedian has not issued any public statement or apology regarding the matter.
Meanwhile, the original post by @lilmisskhawaja has also been taken down in India. The user’s profile now displays the message: “The account has been withheld in IN in response to a legal demand.”
Who Is Abhishek Upmanyu?
Abhishek Upmanyu is one of India’s most popular stand-up comedians, known for his viral YouTube videos and witty content. He boasts a following of 2.7 million on Instagram and 5.26 million subscribers on YouTube. Before his rise in the stand-up scene, Upmanyu was a writer for the popular comedy show On Air with AIB.
He earned a reputation for observational comedy and humorous takes on everyday life. However, this latest incident has put his image under scrutiny, especially at a time when the country is dealing with national grief and heightened emotional sentiments following the deadly Pahalgam attack.
Public Reaction and Timing of the Controversy
The incident has intensified because it occurred just days after the tragic Pahalgam terror attack. Many users felt Upmanyu’s response was disrespectful, insensitive, and poorly timed. “At a time when we are mourning the death of 26 people, how can a public figure support such a hateful comment?” wrote one user.
The controversy has reignited conversations around the responsibility of public figures on social media and the consequences of even brief or unclear statements.
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