Due to threats from Hindu vigilante groups, Bengaluru police have ordered the Good Shepherd Auditorium in the city’s Ashok Nagar area to cancel Faruqui’s stand-up performance.
Faruqui’s event was scheduled to take place in the Good Shepherd Auditorium on Sunday, November 28, and organisers said that 700 tickets had been sold.
On November 27, Saturday the Bengaluru police wrote a letter to the organisers of Faruqui’s show, in light of threats made on social media by Hindu groups such as the Jai Shri Ram Sena Sanghathan (JSRSS) and the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) stating “there is credible information that several organisations are opposing this stand-up comedy show and it could create chaos and disturb the public peace and harmony, which may lead to law and order problems.”
Further, the police said, “It is learned that Munawar Faruqui is a controversial figure as he has made controversial statements on other religions’ gods.”
Following the police statement and fearing retaliation from the police, the auditorium has informed the event organisers that they would not allow Munawar Faruqui’s show, which was set for 5 p.m. today. As a result, the event was cancelled this morning.
In an official note to the organisers, the inspector from the Ashok Nagar Police Station wrote, “It is learned that Munawar Faruqui is a controversial figure as he has been in controversial statements and on other religious gods. Many states have banned his comedy shows. It is learned that a case has been registered against him in the Tukoganj Police station, Indore of Madhya Pradesh State Cr.no. 02/2021 U/s 295(A), 298,269, & 188 R/w 34 IPC and similar cases have been registered against him in many states. There is credible information that several organizations oppose this stand-up comedy show performed by Munawar Faruqui, this could create chaos and could disturb the public peace and harmony which may further lead to Law and Order problems. Therefore it is suggested that you should cancel the Mr Munawar Faruqui stand-up — Comedy show, At Good Shepherd Auditorium on 28.11.2021 at 5.00 pm.”
Cancelled Shows of Munawar Faruqui
First Munawar Faruqui’s Gujarat tour was cancelled because Bajrang Dal from the state pledged that it wouldn’t let him perform and also issued a warning to the organisers to cancel his shows.
After that, the comedian’s two shows were cancelled in Mumbai. The right-wing groups on social media campaigned under the hashtag #GoBackMunawar and targeted the comedian. They are alleged that his shows are ‘anti-Hindu’ and threaten his impending event claiming that it will hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus.
Then his shows were cancelled in Chattisgarh’s Raipur following threats from various Hindutva groups. Reportedly, Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad leaders demanded the state police officials to stop his upcoming events, accusing him of hurting their religious sentiments.
And much recently a Hindu group in Goa demanded a ban on controversial comedian Munawar Faruqui’s stand-up comedy act at a Panaji mall on November 15, accusing him of slandering Hindu Gods.
