Did Amit Shah Copy a Sorabh Pant Joke on ‘Gathbandhan’s Many PMs’?

You’ve heard of political pressure censoring jokes. Now, here’s a comedian worried that a neta is lifting his joke!

Indian comedians have long worried about political pressure censoring their jokes. But this may be the first time that a comedian is worried about a politician lifting his joke!

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Did BJP President Amit Shah just copy a year-old joke by stand-up comedian Sorabh Pant?

In his comedy special ‘Make India Great Again’, Pant had joked that if a coalition of Opposition parties came to power, India would have a different prime minister every day.

Forget having one PM, it’s not working. If there’s a coalition, 6 PMs, done. Monday - Mayawati. Tuesday - Mamata Banerjee. Wednesday - one of the Yadavs, take your pick. Thursday - one of the Thackerays, they’ll take their pick. Friday - Reddy? Saturday, Sunday - Rahul Gandhi, because government doesn’t work on weekends. Done!

Sorabh Pant, comedian

Before you watch Amit Shah’s rendition of the same joke, here’s the Sorabh Pant clip.

And now, to Amit Shah. The BJP president was speaking at a BJP booth presidents’ convention in Kanpur.

“If the <i>gathbandhan</i> comes to power, who will become the prime minister? Tell me. No, tell me. Who? I’ll tell you. The people of UP should know that if this <i>gathbandhan</i> forms the government, Mayawati will be PM on Monday, Akhilesh on Tuesday, Mamata <i>didi</i> on Wednesday, Sharad Pawar on Thursday, Deve Gowda on Friday, Stalin on Saturday. On Sunday, the country will go on a holiday!”

Amit Shah, BJP President

Hear the man for yourself.

On seeing Shah’s speech, Pant wrote on Facebook, “I did some standup in 2018. Amit Shah delivered a speech in 2019. They both sound familiar. Must be coincidence.”

The comparison elicited some hilarious replies as well, with one Facebook user telling Pant, “Politicians stealing billions of ₹ and you’re worried he stole your stand-up!” Another comment warned Pant that this speech proved that “Amit Bhai is keeping track of your jokes.”

Indian comedians have long worried about political pressure censoring their jokes. But this may be the first time that a comedian is worried about a politician lifting his joke!