An FIR has been lodged against comedian and reality-show host Bharti Singh for hurting the sentiments of the Sikh community. The FIR followed a viral video in which the famous comedian can be heard talking about the benefits of having a beard in a funny way. The Sikh community took offense to the video saying she is mocking the appearance of a Sikh with her joke on beards, resulting in the FIR.
In the video, Bharti can be heard talking about the benefits of having a beard and a mustache. She said that if you have a beard, you can dip the hair in the milk while drinking and taste sewaiyaan (a sweet dish). Following this, several people got offended saying she is making fun of the Sikh community with her jokes.
ਸਰਮ ਹੈ ਬੀਬਾ
— 𓅓KARNA ♠️ (@1313karanbir) May 15, 2022
ਕਲਾ ਇਹੀ ਸਵਾਦ ਵੇਖਿਆ ਈ ਕੇ ਹੋਰ ਵੀ @bharti_lalli ਚਵਲ, 🚫🚫🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/h5d8BHEhEN
Same on you bharti singh #BhartiSingh pic.twitter.com/OdlUwOzih1
— Gurdeep Singh (@Gurdeep84461800) May 14, 2022
Even Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) took note of her joke and demanded strict action against her through their Amritsar handle.
ਸਿੱਖੀ ਸਰੂਪ 'ਤੇ ਕੀਤੇ ਵਿਅੰਗ ਦਾ ਮਾਮਲਾ, ਭਾਰਤੀ ਸਿੰਘ ਵਿਰੁੱਧ ਸਖ਼ਤ ਕਾਰਵਾਈ ਦਾ ਨੋਟਿਸ।
— Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) (@SGPCAmritsar) May 16, 2022
Issue of highly objectionable statement by @bharti_lalli about Sikh appearance, SGPC takes strict notice for action against her. pic.twitter.com/o5rwtVf6rX
Following the outrage, an FIR was lodged against Bharti Singh on May 16, under Section 144 (2) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for hurting the religious sentiments of a community.
Following the outrage, Bharti Singh took to her Instagram account to say that she didn’t mean to offend anyone with her joke. She also clarified that her joke wasn’t targeted at any particular community.
Incidentally, Bharti Singh also hails from Amritsar, Punjab, and lived there for most of her life before making a move to Mumbai to pursue her comedy career.
