Complaints Filed Against Comedian Vir Das for 'Defaming India's Image' in the US

One complaint says that the comedian had made a "derogatory statement" against India's Prime Minister.

Vir Das performs 'Two Indias' at John F Kennedy Center for the performing arts.

(Photo Courtesy: Instagram/@virdas)

Two complaints have been filed against comedian Vir Das for "derogatory statements against India" on Tuesday, 16 November. One was lodged with the Mumbai Police by high court lawyer Ashutosh Dubey, who serves as the legal advisor of BJP-Maharashtra Palghar District. Another one has been registered at Delhi's Tilak Marg Police station, ANI reported.

The complaints have been filed in connection with Das's monologue show I COME FROM TWO INDIAS, a clip of which was uploaded on YouTube by the comedian on Monday. The show had originally been performed at the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC.

The comedian also put out a statement on Tuesday, reacting to the responses being received and said, "I ask of you, the same thing I asked that audience…to focus on the light, remember our greatness, and spread the love."

The complaint further says that the comedian had made a "derogatory statement" against the India's Prime Minister, and had suggested that the PMCares fund was a 'fraud'.

Das's video, which had charted 4,79,220 views on YouTube by Tuesday night, has been appreciated for its hard-hitting satire on India's prevailing socio-political situation.

‘Do Not Be Fooled by Edited Snippets’: Vir Das

Meanwhile, reacting to all the responses, the comedian put out a statement on Twitter saying, "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."

He added, "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, on applause, or represent a great people with negativity, only with pride."

"I ask of you, the same thing I asked that audience…to focus on the light, remember our greatness, and spread the love."

Meanwhile, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor reacted to the complaint and said, "We know which India this comes from."