Indian Police Cancel Comedian's Show After Hindu Groups Threaten Protests

Stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui made headlines last year when he was arrested on allegations of insulting Hindu Gods. He was not charged, however, as no evidence was found to prove that he had made derogatory remarks.

Delhi Police have been slammed after they denied a permit for a live event featuring comedian Munawar Faruqui. The police claimed that the show “will affect communal harmony in the area."

The show was scheduled to be held on August 28 in central Delhi.

The controversial comedian was arrested in January 2021 after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Bajrang Dal Hindu group alleged that he had insulted Hindu Gods in a show. He was later released without charges due to a lack of evidence.

The latest cancellation came a day after the Hindu group Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) wrote to Delhi Police threatening to hit the streets unless the show was blocked. Another Hindu group, Bajrang Dal, also warned of holding protests if the police failed to cancel the show.

Reacting to the news, Trinamool Congress Parliamentarian Mahua Moitra called the Delhi Police "spineless."

"Gandhiji [Freedom Fighter Mahatama Gandhi] said, 'I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. Is India@75's [75 years of India's Independence] communal harmony so fragile today that it is disrupted by comedy show?" she wrote.

VHP bullies spineless @Delhipolice, cancel @munawar0018 show.

Gandhiji said “ I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed.”

Is India@75’s communal harmony so fragile today that is is disrupted by comedy show?

— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) August 27, 2022

Netizens have also weighed in, with Faruqi's fans extending their support to the comedian.

Words are not enough to thank you MUNAWAR FARUQUI for always providing us with the quality content ....
Your comedy is the therapy for millions😇
Your comedy videos really helped many of us to heal from depression, bt and your comedy is treat to watch #MunawarFaruqui pic.twitter.com/slQb6vK0hA

— Khibtiya... (@MKJ28407044) August 27, 2022

No Matter How Many Obstacles He Faced In his Way , People Criticized Him Time And Again But These Things Never Affected His Soul ,He Never Lost His Focus So He Munawar Faruqui Is A Self Made Person #MunawarFaruqui @munawar0018 pic.twitter.com/1pKKk41hug

— DRS (@cric7drs) August 27, 2022

Meanwhile, VHP accused Faruqui of "mocking Hindu Gods and Goddesses" in an earlier show held on August 20 in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh state.

"Due to him, communal tensions were triggered in Hyderabad," alleged VHP, adding, "now he plans to do [the] same in Delhi."

Vishwa Hindu Parishad says that it's activists will hit the streets if Delhi Police allows comedian Munawar Faruqui to hold a stand-up event in the city on Sunday. VHP spokesperson @vinod_bansal says he is yet to hear from police on the request to cancel the comedian's event. pic.twitter.com/MfaYXHzewA

— Dhairya Maheshwari (@dhairyam14) August 27, 2022

Large-scale protests erupted in Hyderabad earlier this week after a now-suspended BJP member T Raja Singh uploaded a ten-minute YouTube video insulting the Prophet Mohammad, Faruqui and his mother. Multiple police complaints led to Singh’s arrest.