In response to information that it has not granted permission for an event starring comedian Munawar Faruqui, which was initially planned to take place on August 28, Trinamool Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra referred to the Delhi Police as “spineless.”
The Lok Sabha MP quoted Mahatma Gandhi as saying, “I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed,” referring to the 75 years since India gained its freedom. Is racial peace in India@75 now so tenuous as to be upended by a comedy show?
Following a letter from VHP to the Delhi Police objecting to the event and threatening demonstrations, the licencing unit of the Delhi Police denied permission. According to a report from the central district police, Munawar Faruqui’s performance will “impact community peace in the neighbourhood.”
Munawar Faruqui is once again making headlines after his latest performance in Hyderabad sparked a political brawl that resulted in the suspension of T Raja Singh, the leader of the Telangana BJP. The BJP leader threatened to burn down the venue if Munawar Faruqui’s event was permitted to go on as scheduled on August 20 in Hyderabad. Raja Singh published a video the next day in which he made insulting remarks about the Prophet, whereas Munawar’s “Dongri to Nowhere” was peacefully held under strict protection.
AIMIM protested his remarks and demanded his arrest, which led to unrest in Hyderabad. He was taken into custody on Tuesday but was later freed on bail. In a subsequent video, he promised to respond to the insult to Hindus in the same manner. Thursday saw his arrest. Because of his remarks on the Prophet, the party has suspended him in the interim.
Prior to Munawar’s performance in Hyderabad, his Bengaluru performance was postponed due to Hindu organisations’ objections, despite the comic giving health-related excuses for the postponement. In Madhya Pradesh, Munawar was detained after a performance in 2021 on suspicion of demeaning Hindu deities in his humour.
