By Online Desk
Stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui posted a new video, after a long time, titled ‘Munawar Faruqui Leaving Comedy’ on his YouTube Channel on Sunday. This left many wondering if he was quitting his profession due to the recent charges against him of ‘insulting Hindu gods’ during one of his stand-up shows.
However, in a relief to many, that wasn’t the case.
Munawar in his 10-minutes-long video shares a very important message — a message for his fans, for those who ‘hate him’ and for those people who were ‘privileged’ not to know who he is.
This message is about the Internet.
He says “10 years ago, we used the internet to download ringtones, wallpapers and do things that made us happy. But now, the internet is used to make enemies and make enemies of those people who don’t even know you.”
He asks, “why have we forgotten that the internet is for entertainment and information? Why is there so much hate?”
Stand-up comic Munawar Farauqi in his latest video.(Photo | YouTube Screengrab)
Police arrested Faruqui and four others on January 1, following a complaint by a BJP MLA’s son that ‘objectionable remarks’ were made by him and others about Hindu deities and Union Minister Amit Shah during a comedy show at a local cafe in Madhya Pradesh. Released last week from jail, Munawar got an interim bail after 35 days of his arrest.
Munawar in his latest video asks “Why are we not banning the hate happening on the internet if we really want to ban something?” He adds, “why can’t we use the internet for right things?”
Anyone can be a victim of ‘bhed chaal’ (sheep mindset) and politics, says Munawar. Despite his arrest, he doesn’t call him a victim of what is happening on the internet. He says he was scratched for something “I’ve not even done.”
“Ye kyon kar rahe hain hum? (Why are we doing this?)” he asks in Hindi.
I chose stand-up comedy because it gives me happiness to make people happy. How can I intentionally hurt someone, he asks.
“There are some people who write their agendas and problems in the comment section. I don’t spread hate and I don’t like it when people abuse and spread hate on the internet.” said Munawar in the video.
There is never a conclusion for an argument on the internet. He says most of the time people are fighting over things they have half knowledge of. He asks, why can’t the internet be used for the right things alone?
Munawar’s arrest comes at a time when many activists and politicians have raised concerns about threat to freedom of speech and rising incidents of violence due to ‘hate speech’ in India.
Though he assures his fan he doesn’t intend to leave comedy due to the recent events but will be ‘LIVING COMEDY’, he poses a question to them — “aap decide karo ki aap internet pe pyaar baatna chahte ho ya nafrat? (You decide if you want to spread love or hate on the internet?)WATCH VIDEO HERE:
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