Bajrang Dal Asks Standup Comedian Munawar Faruqui To Cancel Gujarat Shows

Standup comedian Munwar Farqui is again in controversy as he has been warned by the Bajrang Dal over his upcoming tour in Gujarat. The Bajrang Dal has said they won't allow Faruqui to perform in Gujarat.

Recently, the comedian announced a tour of Gujarat starting from October 1. However, uncertainty still prevails over the fate of the show amid warnings received against the comedian. In a video tweet, Gujarat Bajrang Dal leader Jwalit Mehta said, "He attacks the Hindu religion with his work, he hurts Hindu religious sentiments with his comedy. But the Bajrang Dal is not tolerant towards these things." The Bajrang Dal leader warned the comedian against going ahead with the show stating that there would be consequences financially, physically and mentally, if he failed to do so.

The comedian was to perform in the state from October 1 to 3. While the first is scheduled in Surat on October 1, the second show is scheduled in Ahmedabad.

Earlier Crackdown On Comedian

In January, the comedian was in the headlines after he was arrested in the middle of a performance in Indore based on a complaint by the son of a BJP MLA. In his complaint, Eklavya Singh Gaur, son of local BJP MLA Malini Laxman Singh Gaur, accused Faruqui and four others of making "indecent" remarks about Hindu deities and Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the show. Faruqui was finally granted bail by the Supreme Court in February after the court said that the FIR against the comedian was "vague".

There has been a crackdown on comedians in the country by the ruling dispensation. Comedian Kunal Kamra is facing contempt charges in Supreme Court for tweets criticising the court after it granted bail to news anchor Arnab Goswami in a case involving the 2018 deaths of an interior designer and the designer's mother.

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