Ultimately, Munawar Faruqui performs in Hyderabad

Munawar Faruqui finally performed in Hyderabad, with repeated attempts by right wing parties and outfits to disrupt and cancel the show failing, courtesy the tight security ensured by the State police.

Surrounded by policemen in riot gear, with many more outside the Shilpakala Vedika too, the much awaited performance by the controversial standup comedian was an outcome of IT Minister KT Rama Rao extending an open invite to him in December last year, after his show in Bengaluru was cancelled following similar right wing threats.

On Saturday, the police allowed no loophole in ensuring watertight security to Faruqui, with the last attempt of the dissenters, a motley group of about 20 Bharatiya Janata Party and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha activists, also failing as they were bundled away in a police van when they tried to barge into the venue before the programme began.

Though the stern looking cops looked out of place for what was a standup comedy performance, the furore preceding the event saw several policemen drawn from Cyberabad Special Operations Teams, Armed Reserve and local police being deployed around the venue that was heavily barricaded.

Spectators, who came in large groups declaring the city’s support to Faruqui, were allowed into the venue after a thorough body check. Water bottles and food items were not allowed inside. Around 2300 people attended the show.

Earlier, BJP legislator T Raja Singh had demanded cancellation of the show, alleging that Faruqui had insulted Hindu gods during his performances. Singh was placed under house arrest and several leaders of BJYM were detained at various police stations much before the show.

In December last year, Faruqui’s show and then Kunal Kamra’s show too was cancelled in Bengaluru following right wing opposition. Following this, Minister Rama Rao had tweeted an ‘open invite’ to stand-up comedians to perform in Hyderabad instead, saying the TRS government was tolerant of opposition and that Hyderabad was more metropolitan than Bengaluru.

“In our city, stand-up comedians get an open invite. We don’t cancel shows of Munawar Faruqui and Kunal Kamra just because we are not aligned with them politically,” he had said.