Telangana BJP chief calls to boycott Munawar Faruqui's Hyderabad show
What's the story
Bandi Sanjay Kumar, the chief of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Telangana, issued a call to boycott the performance of the comedian Munawar Faruqui, slated for Saturday in Hyderabad.
Following Raja Singh's prior threat to burn down the Munawar Faruqui concert venue, BJP MLA T Raja Singh and several others were put into preventive detention on Friday night and released afterward.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Faruqui is considered one of the best comedians among his contemporaries.
However, he has received criticism for his satirical jokes, which put him in prison in 2021.
Several of his events have since been canceled due to law and order concerns.
The comic was arrested in January 2021 while performing at a café in Indore.
The Supreme Court granted him bail the next month.
Statement
Official statement over the development
"As if the comedy circus of the TRS government run by a bunch of clowns in Telangana isn't enough, now they're bringing Munawar Faruqui," Kumar reportedly stated.
Kumar further questioned the message sent to Hindus by permitting this program, stating that Munawar demeans "Goddess Seetamma and Lord Rama in the guise of comedy."
"Boycott the show which mocks Hindu gods," he added.
Details
Details regarding the development
The Bengaluru Police reportedly canceled Munawar's performance in the city slated for Friday after a complaint was made by a Hindutva group named Jai Sri Ram Sena Sanghatan alleging that his performance 'Dongri to Nowhere' would offend Hindu religious sensitivities.
Faruqui, on the other hand, stated that the show was canceled merely due to his health issues.
Information
'Bengaluru show isn't cancelled but rescheduled'
Meanwhile, despite reports that Bengaluru police denied Faruqui's event clearance, the comedian said on Friday that the Bengaluru show was rescheduled for next week because he missed his flight owing to health difficulties.
He also stated that he was undergoing COVID-19 tests.
This raises concerns about his upcoming event in Hyderabad, given the venue was reportedly not revealed until late Friday.