Delhi Police deny permission to stand up comedian Munawar Faruqui’s show after objection by VHP

The Delhi Police denied permission to a scheduled show of stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui on August 28 in the national capital. Permission was denied by the licensing unit of the Delhi Police after the report from the local central district police stated that "the show will affect communal harmony in the area."

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) had objected to the show on Thursday, August 25, seeking cancellation in a letter to the Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora. 

The VHP had claimed in the letter that "Communal tension arose in Bhagyanagar because of Munawar’s jokes on Hindu Gods."

In its letter, the VHP had added that members of the VHP and Bajrang Dal would hold protests if the show was not cancelled. The stand up comedian performed in Hyderabad last Saturday amid tight security. The show went through amid boycott calls by Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar. 

Telangana also saw Muslim outrage after suspended BJP legislator T Raja Singh issued remarks aimed at Prophet Muhammad in a video, which he said he was making in response to Faruqui’s show held in Hyderabad.