No joke: Indian comedian Vir Das under nationalist fire – News
The actor took to Twitter insisting the video was a ‘satire in regards to the duality of two separate Indias that do various things’
Photograph: File
An Indian comic and actor has been pressured to defend himself towards on-line accusations of “insulting the nation” after he carried out a “two Indias” monologue in Washington.
Vir Das, certainly one of India’s prime satirical performers, is understood for his willingness to critically observe his nation.
Critics say there was rising intolerance towards minority communities in India since Prime Minister Narendra Modi got here to energy in 2014, and that freedom of speech is below risk on this planet’s largest democracy.
“I come from an India the place we worship girls throughout the day and gang rape them at night time,” Das instructed a packed Washington, DC venue throughout his present world tour.
In an nearly seven-minute lengthy video posted Monday, he lined points starting from air air pollution, journalism and Modi’s coronavirus aid efforts to cricket.
“I come from an India the place we bleed blue each time we play inexperienced,” he mentioned, referring to the sporting uniforms of his nation and Pakistan. “However each time we lose to inexperienced, we flip orange hastily.”
Orange refers to muscular Hindu nationalism, usually symbolised by the color saffron.
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“I come from an India that may watch this and know there’s a gigantic joke. It simply isn’t humorous,” he mentioned.
Quickly after Das launched the video social media customers accused him of insulting India on the worldwide stage, and not less than two police complaints have been filed towards him.
Main Indian actress Kangana Ranaut slammed Das, calling the video “delicate terrorism” and writing on Instagram: “Strict motion ought to be taken towards such criminals.”
Das took to Twitter insisting the video was a “satire in regards to the duality of two separate Indias that do various things.
“Like all nation has mild and darkish, good and evil inside it.”
The backlash towards Das will not be the primary time an Indian comedian has come below fireplace from right-wing Hindu teams and activists.
Comic Munawar Faruqui was held in jail for greater than a month after being accused of insulting Hindu gods and goddesses, and this month cancelled three reveals in Mumbai after a Hindu right-wing group threatened to set the venue ablaze.
