Stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui has cancelled two shows in Chhattisgarh's Raipur after Hindutva groups threatened the organisers, as per a report by Scroll. The organisers had reportedly written to the police asking for the shows to be stopped.
Faruqui was scheduled to perform in Raipur on 14 November.
The Scroll report states that on Monday the Bajrang Dal sent a letter to the police.
The letter reportedly claimed that Faruqui makes fun of Hindu gods and the kar sevaks who died in the Godhra train fire incident in 2002.
The letter also reportedly stated that if the shows weren't stopped by the police, then the Bajrang Dal members would stop them and the administration would be responsible.
Vishwa Hindu Parishad leaders also met senior police officials on Monday to demand that the shows be cancelled. "Faruqui had mocked our gods in the past, and such anti-Hindu people should not be permitted in the capital. If the administration permits, it would be their responsibility as we will be stopping the shows in our own way", Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Santosh Chaudhary told Hindustan Times.
Earlier, Faruqui had to cancel three shows in Mumbai because of threats from Bajrang Dal. Speaking to NDTV the comedian had said, "The bigger issue is that for these three shows, a total of 1,500 people bought tickets a month ago. I feel bad for them. This is a sad reality with which many people in this country are living".
Faruqui has been a target of Hindutva groups for the past one year. In January, he was arrested in Indore on the basis of a complaint filed by a BJP politician's son. The complainant had alleged that the comedian was going to make objectionable statements about Hindu gods.
(With inputs from Scroll)
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