Mumbai : Comedian Vir Das has countered into a controversy, amid his recent monologue, he delivered at US. In his monologue he stated, “I come from two Indias.” Many on social media are calling him out for “insulting India.” Amid the controversy he has issued a clarification on twitter stating that his intention was to remind that the country, despite its issues, was “great”. The complaint was lodged with the Mumbai Police by high court lawyer Ashutosh Dubey, who serves as the legal advisor of BJP-Maharashtra Palghar District.
Vir Das who is currently in US, uploaded a video on YouTube, titled “I come from two Indias”. The monologue in the video was part of his recent performance at the John F Kennedy Centre in Washington DC.
In his six-minute video Vir Das has spoken about many topical issues in India, like battle against Covid-19, rape cases, crackdown against comedians, farmers protest, and much more.
Soon the clippings of his video went viral, the most viral clip on social media was were he was seen saying, “I come from an India where we worship women during the day and gang-rape them during the night.”
Some criticised Vir Das for generalisation of such incidents in India, others lauded him for his ‘brave’ stand.
You come from an India, @VirDas, where you make a living by insulting your own nation!!
— Priti Gandhi – प्रीति गांधी (@MrsGandhi) November 16, 2021
You come from an India, that allows your disgusting, derogative nonsense to pass off as freedom of speech!!
You come from an India, that has tolerated your slander for way to long!!#Shame pic.twitter.com/YGRfDqQknj
This is Comedy?? Vir Das at Kennedy Center USA : "I come from an India where we worship Women in the morning & G@ng г@ре them at night" He might possibly be doing that BUT What gives him right to generalise & label India like that?? #VirDas pic.twitter.com/RwRIaGVe0I
— Rosy (@rose_k01) November 16, 2021
Do listen to @thevirdas on the two India that he comes from.
— Yogendra Yadav (@_YogendraYadav) November 16, 2021
Sad that we have reached a point where saying it as it is, is an act of courage.https://t.co/glMx1pFMd2
On this he clarified saying that his intentions were not insult the nation but to remind that despits of so many issues we are doing great. In his statement he states that “The video is a satire about the duality of two very separate India’s that do different things. Like any nation has light and dark, good and evil within it. None of this is a secret. The video appeals for us to never forget that we are great. To never stop focusing on what makes us great. It ends in a gigantic patriotic round of applause for a country we all love, believe in, and are proud of. That there is more to our country than the headlines, a deep beauty. That’s the point of the video and the reason for the applause.”
— Vir Das (@thevirdas) November 16, 2021
He also asks his followers not to be fooled without not knowing everything. He appeals “please do not get fooled by edited snippets”.
“People cheer for India with hope, not hate. People clap for India with respect, not malice. You cannot sell tickets, earn applause, or represent a great people with negativity, only with pride. I take pride in my country, and I carry that pride across the world,” he said.
“To me, a room full of people anywhere in the world, giving India an ovation is pure love. I ask of you, the same thing I asked of that audience…to focus on the light, remember our greatness, and spread the love,” he added.
Actor Kangana Ranaut slams Vir Das Video on her Instagram Story. She wrote, “When you generalise all Indian men as gang-rapists it gives rise and encouragement to racism and bullying against Indians all over the world…after Bengal Famine Churchill famously said, ‘These Indians breed like rabbits they are bound to die like this…’ he blamed Indians’ sex drive/fertility for the death of millions because of hunger… Such creative work targeting an entire race is soft terrorism… strict actions must be taken against such criminals @virdas.”
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