Munawar Faruqui\'s proposed show raises political heat in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: Stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui's announcement to host his show in Hyderabad on August 20 kicked up controversy with a BJP legislator threatening to disrupt his show.
"Munawar Faruqui is coming to Hyderabad with his standup comedy solo “Munawar Faruqui Live”. It will take you on a journey of Munawar’s life experiences," said a show ticket booking portal on Wednesday. The venue of the show, however, is undecided.
He was invited to perform his stand-up comedy in Hyderabad by minister K.T. Rama Rao after the Bengaluru police denied him permission to organise his show ‘Dongri to Nowhere’, citing law and order issues.
Last year, his shows were cancelled after a few Hindu groups threatened to disrupt his shows accusing him of making disparaging remarks against Hindu gods.
Though he was scheduled to perform in Hyderabad on January 9 this year, it was cancelled because of a spike of Coronavirus cases.
The comedian's proposed show — that uses the same title as his cancelled show in Bengaluru did — once again kicked up row in Hyderabad. BJP MLA from Goshamahal T. Raja Singh threatened to beat up Faruqui and burn down the venue.
“He (Faruqui) is a waste comedian. In the past, our 'stupid' minister KTR invited him to perform his show in Hyderabad by offering police protection. But when Hindu groups across Telangana came together to threaten him, the comedian got scared and cancelled the event,” Raja Singh said.
“Once again, Munawar Faruqui is being invited to perform in Hyderabad. If the law and order situation should not worsen, I ask KTR not to invite such people. If he comes to Hyderabad, see what will happen. We will go to the place he would perform and beat him up. If anyone offers him to place to perform, we will burn it down. If something goes wrong, KTR and the government and police are responsible,” Raja Singh said.
While taking a dig at Bengaluru's claim to be a cosmopolitan city on December 18, 2021, Rama Rao had said: "We are a truly cosmopolitan city. In our city, stand-up comedians get an open invite. We do not cancel shows of Munawar Faruqui and Kunal Kamra just because we are not aligned with them politically. We truly are welcoming. I am saying this to those people from Bengaluru, you claim to be a cosmopolitan city and end up taking comedy very seriously,"
When contacted Cyberabad police commissioner Stephen Raveendra said he has no idea about the show being held in the Cyberabad police limits.