MP minister bans Vir Das in state, explains why such 'clowns' have support of Rahul Gandhi

Madhya Pradesh home minister Narottam Mishra said Vir Das will not be allowed to perform in Madhya Pradesh. If the comedian apologises, then the state will reconsider the decision, Mishra said.

Comedian Vir Das, who is at the centre of a controversy because of the YouTube video 'I come from two Indias' will not be allowed to perform in Madhya Pradesh, home minister Narottam Mishra said on Thursday, news agency PTI reported.

Vir Das has courted controversy for his ‘I come from two Indias’ video. 

Taking a jibe at Congress leaders who have spoken in support of the comedian, Mishra said, "Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also defames India on foreign land. MP Congress chief Kamal Nath also does it." "Such type of people like him, I call them 'vidushak' (jester) would not be allowed to perform in the state. If he (Das) apologises, we are going to think over it," Narottam Mishra said.

Several police complaints have been filed against the satirist, who is in the United States right now. He uploaded the video on his YouTube channel on Monday and it is part of his recent performance at the John F Kennedy Centre in Washington DC. In the video, he talked about two India, juxtaposed with each other, and touched on issues like farm protests, Covid-19, rape, freedom of speech etc. Delhi BJP vice president and spokesperson Aditya took objection to Vir Das's comment that women are worshipped in the day and raped at night in India and said these remarks maligned the image of Indian women on a global platform. All such "derogatory" statements were made on an international platform maligning the image of women and the country, Jha claimed.

Congress leader Kapil Sibal supported Das and said, “…Just that we don’t want an Indian to tell the world about it. We are intolerant and hypocritical.” Shashi Tharoor praised Das as a stand-up comedian who knows that the real meaning of the term "stand up" is not physical but moral.

The video has drawn sharp reactions from politicians, celebrities with Kangana Ranaut, who created a stir with her 'independence' comment, demanding strict action against Vir Das. The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), a film body that claims to have over 2.5 lakh registered members, earlier said its members won't work with Das unless he issues a public apology.

(With PTI inputs)