On Saturday evening in Hyderabad, over 50 persons, including members of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, were detained when they arrived at the venue of a show by alleged stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui. Police were deployed in huge numbers at the location ahead of the event on August 20.
People who had purchased tickets for the event were allowed inside the venue at Shilpakala in Hitech City, which falls within the jurisdiction of the Madhapur police station. It’s interesting to note that Stephen Raveendra, the police commissioner for Cyberabad, was also present in the audience.
Hyderabad, Telangana | Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha workers protest over comedian Munawar Faruqui’s show, police detains protestors pic.twitter.com/uDbfS9uapm
— ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2022
This comes after Bharatiya Janata Party MLA T Raja Singh was arrested on Friday for objecting to Faruqui’s program. Singh has been vocal in his objection to Faruqui’s performance in Hyderabad. The MLA had requested that the police prevent Faruqui from performing in Hyderabad but the police arrested him instead of acting on his request.
Singh objected to Faruqui’s show, stating that Faruqui had previously insulted Hindu Gods in his shows, resulting in criminal prosecutions. Instead of inviting someone who insults God, Singh argued that brilliant Telangana artists should be supported.
Previously, Telangana BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar called for a boycott of Faruqui’s show. On Friday, he addressed a crowd in Khila Shapur, Jangaon district, that Faruqui should be boycotted because he disrespected Hindu Gods. He said, “We all worship Sita Devi… we see her everywhere in water, air, fire and land. He has insulted our Sita Devi and our lord Rama…TRS party people have called him to Hyderabad as a chief guest. We do not need him, we will boycott him.”
Munawar Faruqui (comedian) is coming to Hyderabad on August 20th. He insulted our Lord Ram & Goddess Sita, and the TRS party is calling him here as a chief guest. Why is he called here?: BJP Telangana chief Bandi Sanjay, in Jangaon (19.09) pic.twitter.com/7PkCtyzZT1
— ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2022
It is notable that on 1st January 2021, in a show held at Indore, Munawar Faruqui insulted Lord Ram and Sita. A case was registered against him by the Madhya Pradesh police under sections 295A, 298, 269, 188, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. He was also arrested and later released on bail.
Notably, police in the neighbouring state of Karnataka earlier on Friday denied permission for Faruqui’s event, which was scheduled to be held in Bengaluru on Friday. The Bengaluru show was cancelled due to a protest from the Hindu organisation Jai Sri Ram Sena.
Following his offensive statements about Hindu deities, Munawar Faruqui remains the recipient of a considerable measure of Hindu anger. Several of his shows have been cancelled repeatedly in places like Bengaluru, Goa, Gujarat, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Pune, etc.
