Vir Das’ Poem ‘Two Indias’ Lands Him In Trouble; Complaint Filed
The very famous comedian Vir Das got the most significant chance of performing at the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC, United States, but did he make the correct use of the stage? Well, the debate has already started on social media. Some people have called Vir Das’s performance a bold one; some are criticizing him for tarnishing the nation’s image on a world stage.
“I come from an India where the AQI is 9,000, but we still sleep on roofs and look at the stars.” This is an excerpt from the controversial poem ‘Two Indias’ that Vir Das recited at the Kennedy Centre concert hall, which has attracted widespread criticism.
The satire even persuaded BJP leader and spokesperson Aditya Jha to file a police complaint against Das for belittering India on foreign soil. Taking to Twitter, Mr Jha wrote: “Bad mentality @thevirdas has made a desperate attempt to tarnish India’s image at the international level. In this context, I have lodged an FIR against Vir Das in DCP New Delhi Police Office. We have to give a befitting reply to this well-planned and organized conspiracy. #ArrestVirDas,”
??????? ???????? ?? @thevirdas ?? ???? ?? ??? ?????????????? ???? ?? ????? ???? ?? ?????? ?????? ???? ???
?? ?????? ??? ????? DCP ?? ?????? ????? ???????? ??? ??? ??? ?? ????? FIR ???? ??? ?? ???
???? ?? ????????? ??? ?????? ????? ?? ???????? ???? ???? ????? #ArrestVirDas pic.twitter.com/nsYf1L3t6y
— Aditya jha (@adityajhadelhi) November 16, 2021
“I come from an India where we worship women during the day and gang-rape them during the night,”
In the 6-minute video, comedian Vir Das recites the tale of two Indias, one that he is proud to be a part of and the other that he does not want to believe exists. Well, some have called the video an ‘eyeopener’ and obvious; some have called it an attempt of demeaning India and Indians on a global stage. A complaint against Vir Das has also been filed by the legal advisor of BJP-Maharashtra Palghar district, Ashutosh Dubey, for allegedly making derogatory statements about India. In the video, Vir Das talks about a lot of burning issues that India is facing, including its battle against gang rapes, the crackdown against comedians, farmers’ protests, the fight against covid-19, the fuel price hike etc.
Many political leaders, including Kapil Sibal, Shashi Tharoor, applauded Vir Das for speaking the truth. However, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Sanghvi and Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut slammed the Two Indias satire of Vir Das. Ranaut, who herself got into trouble for her freedom remarks, has called Vir Das criminal and also pointed that his satire amounts to soft terrorism.
Generalising the evils of a few individuals and vilifying the nation as a whole in front of the world is just not done!
The people who painted India in front of the west as a nation of saperas and luteras during the colonial rule have not ceased to exist.#VirDas
— Abhishek Singhvi (@DrAMSinghvi) November 16, 2021
Vir Das
None can doubt that there are two India’s
Just that we don’t want an Indian to tell the world about it
We are intolerant and hypocritical
— Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) November 17, 2021
A stand-up comedian who knows the real meaning of the term "stand up" is not physical but moral — @thevirdas spoke for millions in this 6-minute take on the Two Indias he hails from & stands up for. https://t.co/94h4SnyZhX
"This is a joke, but it's just not funny." Brilliant.— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) November 16, 2021
After facing backlash on social media, Vir Das took to Twitter and issued a clarification: “There has been a sizeable reaction to a video I posted on YouTube. 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. Please do not be 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 great people with negativity, only with pride. I take pride in my country, and I carry that pride across the world. To me, a room full of people anywhere in the world, giving India an ovation is pure love,”
— Vir Das (@thevirdas) November 16, 2021
Check out the video here:
