4 years ago 4 years ago

Comedian Munawar Faruqui still under Custody!

Stand-up Comedian Munawar Faruqui beaten by Madhya Pradesh MLA. Still in Jail since 1st Jan 2021 along with 4 others.

by barviral 4 years ago4 years ago

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It has been more than 2 weeks and 2 days since Munawar Faruqui, a stand-up comedian is in jail for a crime we don’t certainly know he committed. He was arrested on the very first day of the year i.e., 1^st January 2021. This has come at a time when intolerance towards jokes, books, or movies made on topics such as politics and religion is growing in the “new India“.

Orwell says,”Every joke is a tiny revolution.”
A reminder that a comedian has been jailed for 10 days for a joke that he did not tell because his freedom would become a “law and order”
problem and the “society will be offended.” The punch line is our democracy. #MunawarFaruqui pic.twitter.com/saVUvWN8Yf
— Suchitra Vijayan (@suchitrav) January 13, 2021

Faruqui was taken into custody under IPC Sections 269 (unlawful or negligent act likely to spread the infection of any disease hazardous to life) and 295A (infuriating religious feelings).

The hearing on the bail petition of Munawar Faruqui, arrested on 1st, January 2021, for accusations of making objectionable comments on Hindu gods and goddesses during a comedy show in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, was postponed on Friday, January 15th, 2021, as the Tukojiganj police was unsuccessful to present the case diary in the court.

Faruqui’s lawyer Anshuman Shrivastava, alleged the police for deliberately not presenting Infront of the court as there are no proofs about the incident taking place during the show.

Nalin Yadav, Prakhar Vyas, Priyam Vyas, and Edwin Anthony, organizers and the co-organizers of the show are the people taken in custody along with Munawar.

This arrest was done because of a complaint filed by Eklavya Gaur, chief of Hind Rakshak Sangathan and son of BJP MLA Malini Gaur, as he ‘overheard’ jokes that insulted images of Hindu deities and Amit Shah (the president of Bhartiya Janta Party) during the rehearsals.

A fan who was present at the show took to Instagram and claimed that no jokes were cracked during the show, which could’ve hurted image of Hindu deities, and that Gaur went on the stage and dragged Munawar before he began his set.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jenosha Agnes (@jen_agnes)

People also showed their rage on Twitter, condemning the actions of the Tukoganj police.

India is the only country in the world where you can be JAILED on the assumption that you are going to be telling a JOKE. #MunawarFaruqui
— Srivatsa (@srivatsayb) January 14, 2021

Exclusive: Indore SP tells me #MunawarFaruqui did not crack any jokes against Hindu gods but adds that it “didn’t really matter because he was going to do it.”

I write about the bizarre twist in the tale, 13 days after their arrest. @Article14live https://t.co/SMjOQbjH4n
— Kunal Purohit (@kunalpurohit) January 14, 2021

An RSS worker who wants #MunawarFaruqui punished, an FIR with little details of the alleged crime, a section that doesn’t exist—@Saurabhsherry and I report on the attempts to target Faruqui in UP. @Article14live https://t.co/wUsLRr5NrK
— Kunal Purohit (@kunalpurohit) January 19, 2021

Calling all comedians worldwide, please stand up for #MunawarFaruqui, one of your tribe, being persecuted by the police in India@Trevornoah @TheDailyShow @iamjohnoliver @mindykaling @therealrussellp @hasanminhaj @azizansari @jkcorden https://t.co/c06mfuslJ3 @thewire_in
— Siddharth (@svaradarajan) January 18, 2021

And as the case is going on in the court in MP High court, UP police is ready to arrest Munawar Faruqui (after he gets bail from the MP High court) on the basis of a video that was released by him in April, 2020 on YouTube.

UP Police obtains production warrant for #MunawarFaruqui for a flimsy case lodged last year. It's clear that Munawar is being deliberately & maliciously targetted by a vindictive BJP govt for only one reason! Despite no evidence, the BJP is determined to keep him in jail
— Shama Mohamed (@drshamamohd) January 18, 2021

The #UttarPradesh Police have obtained a production warrant for stand-up comedian #MunawarFaruqui in connection with a case lodged against him in April last year. https://t.co/Yx04ztVw1L
— The Quint (@TheQuint) January 18, 2021