On Monday (November 16), comedian Vir Das shared a Youtube video wherein he went on an unhinged rant against India at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC.
In a 7-minute monologue, Das peddled anti-India propaganda under the garb of comedy. He touched upon politics, religion and nationality while inducing fear that India, once built by great men, might soon turn into a distant memory. In order to make his rant impactful, the comedian sandwiched the propaganda material between comedic elements and punchlines. As such, the audience was awed by his one-liners although they do not make sense in critically analysing them.
At the very onset, Vir Das claimed, “I come from an India where we worship women during the day and gangrape them during the night.” This is a common trope used by left-liberals to paint India as an unsafe place for women to the world. Ahead of Durga Puja, the same argument changes to ‘worshipping women for 9 days’ and raping them for the rest of the year.
Across the world, nations face the issue of women rights and the heinous crime of rape against women. The phenomenon of connecting the worship of female deities to crimes of rape seems unique to liberals who wish to deride India and specifically, the Hindu religion.
.@thevirdas talks about rape in India in USA but has no idea that USA is way ahead in terms of rape cases. For these people, abusing India in foreign country is sign of progress. pic.twitter.com/rhPZ2Cp9O7
— Facts (@BefittingFacts) November 16, 2021
Vir Das bats for Barkha Dutt, hails her for ‘real journalism’ on the streets
The comedian then extended his support to fellow propagandist Barkha Dutt, for her ‘vulture journalism’ during the second wave of the pandemic. Vir Das alleged, “I come from an India where journalism is supposedly dead because men in fancy studios, in fancy suits, give each other handjobs and yet women on road with laptops are telling the truth.”
When India was going through Covid-19 crisis, Barkha Dutt was on the streets to revive her dwindling career in journalism. From camping outside civil hospitals and crematoriums to putting her laptop on upturned plastic dustbins, she turned a pandemic into an image-building exercise. For Vir Das, this was an example of ‘real journalism’ for a ‘supposedly dead’ industry.
Comedian plays ‘religion card’, tries to paint Hindus as intolerant
During his monologue, the comedian tried to paint Hindus as intolerant and antagonistic to Muslims. He claimed, “I come from an India where we bleed blue every time when we play green. But every time we lose to green, we turn orange all of a sudden.” Vir Das suggested that Hindus become adversarial to Muslims whenever the Indian cricket team loses to Pakistan. However, nothing can be further from the truth.
Following the recent victory of Pakistan against India in the group stage match of T20 World Cup 2021, we observed that a section of the society (which supposedly bleeds green) celebrated India’s loss by bursting firecrackers. This was even conceded by Jamia riot accused Sharjeel Imam in a Facebook post several years ago. The celebration by Kashmiri Muslim students over the victory of their co-religionists also highlighted that some pretend to bleed blue while they always bleed green.
Vir Das also managed to play the victim card by claiming that Indians want to send him to Pakistan. “I come from an India that tells me every single day to go to Pakistan and yet I also come from an India that invites Pakistanis over every single day if only to whoop their ass on a cricket field,” he added.
Vir Das takes his anti-Modi agenda to the United States, reiterates lies about PM CARES fund
While Vir Das’ dislike for PM Modi is an open secret, the comedian chose to bring it before the audience at the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC. “I come from an India where every time we get information, we are always available to care for the PM but we can’t seem to get any information on PM Cares,” the comedian had claimed. Vir Das attempted to add fuel to the fire of conspiracy theories surrounding the PM CARES fund. Indian liberals had earlier bullied Autralian pacer Pat Cummins to relocate his contribution from PM Cares to UNICEF Australia by peddling the same misinformation.
It becomes pertinent to note here that after the Coronavirus pandemic gripped the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had set up the PM CARES Fund and invited people to contribute to the Fund. PM CARES Fund Trust was formed on 27th March last year to receive public donations to fight emergencies or distresses like the current Covid-19 pandemic. The Prime Minister is the Chairman of this trust, and its members include Defence Minister, Home Minister and Finance Minister.
After the PM CARES fund was set up by the government, opposition parties and a section of left-liberal intellectuals had launched a campaign against it, alleging that the fund will be misused as it will not be audited by the CAG. Congress president Sonia Gandhi had demanded that the entire money collected in the fund should be transferred to the PM National Relief Fund.
Comedian rakes up the Lakhmipur Kheri incident, peddles one sided narrative
Vir Das went on to rake up other domestic issues before the global audience. He made a reference to the controversial Lakhmipur Kheri incident that claimed the lives of 9 people. It included 4 farmers, 4 BJP workers and a journalist. Given that the exclusive mention of ‘Annadata‘ (farmers) being run over can evoke emotions, the comedian said, “I come from an India where we take pride in being vegetarians and yet run over the farmers who grow our vegetables.”
On October 3, a ‘farmer’ mob attacked a BJP convoy with stones and sticks in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh. Amid the ensuing commotion, a vehicle was seen running over the protestors. Following that the angry mob of protestors had burned two vehicles, dragged the people inside the vehicle and had beaten them to death. The incident turned into a major political drama, prompting the Uttar Pradesh government to announce a compensation of ₹45 lakh to the kin of the deceased and promised government job to one member of each family. A one-member committee has also been formed to probe the case.
BJP worker Shubham Mishra and his driver Hariom Mishra were also lynched to death at the site by the so-called ‘farmers’. Shubham’s father said in his complaint that Shubham’s gold chain, mobile and wallet were stolen by the protesters who had killed him. He also named Tajinder Singh Virk of Samajwadi Party and Kisan Union leader one of the foremost perpetrators. However, Vir Das avoided mention of others who were killed by the same farmers.
Towards the end of his monologue, Vir Das resorted to fear-mongering about losing the ‘idea of India’. He had concluded, “But as I stand here before you, I am reminded that I represent a great people. Great people, who built a great thing (India) that is turning into a memory.” While the leftist-liberal bandwagon had been trying to create an atmosphere of hysteria using the same rhetoric, they have so far failed to convince the masses with their lies.
