Delhi Police denies permission to comedian Munawar Faruqui's show after VHP's objection

NEW DELHI: The Delhi police has denied permission to a show by the stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui citing a threat to communal harmony.

The show was scheduled to be held on August 28 at Dr SPM Civic Centre, Kedarnath Sahni Auditorium, from 2 pm to 9.30 pm. It was a privately organised show for which permission had been given earlier. Gursimer Singh Rayat, a resident of Vishnu garden, West Delhi was the organiser of the show.

Before this, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad wrote a letter to the Delhi Police urging them to cancel the show stating that "The person (Faruqui) made jokes on Hindu god and goddess."

In the letter, the VHP also claimed that because of his jokes communal tension had erupted at Bhagyanagar (Hyderabad).

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Talking to The New Indian Express, joint commissioner of Police ( Licensing branch) OP Mishra said, "We received a report from local police that there is apprehension that communal harmony of the area may be disrupted because of his performance. So, acting on it, we denied permission for his show."

According to him, the licensing unit was contacted online by the show's organisers on Thursday to obtain permission for the hosting of the performance.

When approached, Faruqui said, "I had already cancelled the show four days ago. We are receiving vandalisation threats from people. For me, the safety of my audience is greater than my show."

Asked who was behind the threats, he responded, "I don't want to name them specifically. We all know who it is."

Vinod Bansal, national spokesperson of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, said, "We are glad that acting on our complaint, the Delhi Police cancelled the Munawar Faruqui show."

He also stated that his organisation will not allow any performance by those who mock Hindu gods and goddesses.

The show is part of Munawar's tour "Dongri to Nowhere" in which he had looked at covering various cities -- Delhi, Kolkata, Siliguri, Banglore, Hyderabad etc.

Prior to this, his show was cancelled at Bengaluru because he was unwell.

Munawar's performances have become a law and order concern for the city police forces ever since his arrest in 2021.

Reacting to the news that Faruqui's show was cancelled, Trinamool Congress MP, Mahua Moitra called Delhi Police spineless. She had this to say in her tweet:

VHP bullies spineless @Delhipolice, cancel @munawar0018 show.

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 is is disrupted by comedy show?

— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) August 27, 2022