Trinamool Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra called the Delhi Police 'spineless' reacting to reports that it has not given permission to an event featuring comedian Munawar Faruqui, originally scheduled to be held on August 28. Invoking Mahatma Gandhi and the 75 years of India's independence, the Lok Sabha MP said, “Gandhiji said, 'I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed'. Is India@75's communal harmony so fragile today that it is disrupted by comedy show?”
The licensing unit of the Delhi Police denied the permission after VHP wrote a letter to the Delhi Police objecting to the event and warning of protests. The central district police submitted a report stating that Munawar Faruqui's show will "affect communal harmony in the area".
Munawar Faruqui is again in the news as his recent show in Hyderabad led to a political slugfest involving the suspension of Telangana BJP leader T Raja Singh. Ahead of Munawar Faruqui's Hyderabad show on August 20, the BJP leader issued a warning that he will burn down the venue if Munawar is allowed his show in Hyderabad. While Munawar's ‘Dongri to Nowhere’ was held peacefully amid tight security, Raja Singh released a video the next day in which he made blasphemous comments about the Prophet. This triggered tension in Hyderabad with AIMIM protesting his comments and demanding his arrest. On Tuesday, he was arrested but got bail and released another video saying that he will reply to the insult of the Hindus in the same language. On Thursday, he was arrested. Meanwhile, the party has suspended him for his comments on the Prophet.
{{/usCountry}}Munawar Faruqui is again in the news as his recent show in Hyderabad led to a political slugfest involving the suspension of Telangana BJP leader T Raja Singh. Ahead of Munawar Faruqui's Hyderabad show on August 20, the BJP leader issued a warning that he will burn down the venue if Munawar is allowed his show in Hyderabad. While Munawar's ‘Dongri to Nowhere’ was held peacefully amid tight security, Raja Singh released a video the next day in which he made blasphemous comments about the Prophet. This triggered tension in Hyderabad with AIMIM protesting his comments and demanding his arrest. On Tuesday, he was arrested but got bail and released another video saying that he will reply to the insult of the Hindus in the same language. On Thursday, he was arrested. Meanwhile, the party has suspended him for his comments on the Prophet.
{{/usCountry}}Before Munawar's Hyderabad show, his show in Bengaluru was cancelled following the objection of Hindu groups, though the comedian cited health reasons for the cancellation. In 2021, Munawar was arrested from a show in Madhya Pradesh on charges of insulting Hindu gods in his jokes.