Comedian Yash Rathi booked for 'objectionable' joke on Lord Ram
What's the story
The police have booked stand-up comedian and blogger Yash Rathi for allegedly making objectionable remarks against Lord Ram during an event in Dehradun on Saturday.
Per Times of India, the case was registered in response to a complaint filed by Sagar Jaiswal, the state president of the right-wing organization Uttarakhand Bhairav Sena.
Additionally, the group demanded strict action against the program's organizers.
Joke
What did Rathi say during the show?
At the event, Rathi reportedly said, "When Jesus tried walking on water for the first time, he drowned. His friend pulled him out of the water and asked if he didn't know how to walk on water, why didn't he learn to swim?"
"Jesus responded by saying, I made a small mistake. I forgot to write Ram on my chappal (slippers)," he added.
Twitter Post
Watch: Rathi's alleged remarks on Lord Ram
Why bring only Bhagwan Ram and Jesus in sadakchhaap jokes?
— Gems of Bollywood बॉलीवुड के रत्न (@GemsOfBollywood) April 11, 2023
Can youtuber #YashRathi crack similar joke on another Deen as well?#BollywoodKiGandagi is spread all over now pic.twitter.com/VU5M7FQcTb
Similar incident
Comedian Faruqui was arrested in 2021 in similar case
Notably, this is not the first time a comedian has found themselves at the center of such controversy.
In 2021, Munawar Faruqui was interrupted during a show in Madhya Pradesh's Indore by BJP MLA Malini Gaur's son Eklavya Singh Gaur.
Gaur accused Faruqui of making malicious jokes about Hindu deities and Home Minister Amit Shah, following which he was arrested and sent to prison.