Munawar Faruqui is an Indore-based stand-up comedian. The 30-year-old performer reportedly hails from Gujarat’s Junagadh.
He hit headlines after he was arrested on January 1 for allegedly making objectionable remarks about Hindu deities and Union Home Minister Amit Shah during a show in Indore on New Year’s Day.
Soon after the show, Eklavya Singh Gaud, son of BJP MLA Malini Laxman Singh Gaud, had filed a complaint against Faruqui and others.
Gaud had said that he and his associates went to watch the show and they witnessed Faruqui allegedly make indecent jokes about Hindu deities. Gaud further said that he forced the organizers to stop the show soon after that.
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Reports also emerged that Faruqui and his associates were beaten by members of the audience.
Faruqui was then arrested under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including section 295-A which deals with deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class.
While, Faruqui received interim bail on Friday, many have questioned the very grounds on which he was arrested.
Comedian Vir Das in an apparent reference to Faruqui’s arrest, tweeted, “Asking for a friend. Jokes about God are wrong, got it. But jokes about people who get upset about jokes about God are cool right?”
Other comedians also indirectly hit out at the administration for Faruqui’s arrest including Amit Tandon and Kunal Kamra.
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(With PTI inputs)
