'If you really are children of India...': Kunal Kamra dares VHP to denounce Nathuram Godse; TMC's Mahua Moitra reacts

Stand-up comic Kunal Kamra was scheduled to perform at a bar in Gurugram on September 17 and 18, but his shows were called off following threats by some of the right-wing organisations.

New Delhi: Stand-up comic Kunal Kamra on Sunday (September 11, 2022) wrote an open letter to the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and challenged it to condemn Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse, days after his shows in Haryana's Gurugram were called off following threats by some of the right-wing organisations. Kamra proclaimed himself as "a bigger Hindu" than the VHP as he doesn't earn his living by "fear-mongering" and "issuing threats".

"I chant 'Jai Shri Sita-Ram' and 'Jai Radha Krishna' loudly and with pride. If you really are the children of India, write and send (messages of) 'Godse Murdabad'. If you don't, you will be perceived as anti-Hindu and supporters of terrorism," Kamra's letter, which was shared by him on his Twitter handle, read.

"Don't tell me you consider Godse as God? If that is true, keep getting my shows cancelled in the future too. I'll just be happy to have emerged as a bigger Hindu than you in this test. Whatever I'll do, I'll eat my hard-earned bread as I'm a bigger Hindu than you. I feel it is a sin to live on scraps by threatening someone and spreading fear," he wrote in Hindi, tagging the official Twitter handle of the VHP.

Kumar, who was scheduled to perform at a bar in Gurugram on September 17 and 18, also demanded the right-wing bodies to produce evidence suggesting he mocks Hindu gods and goddesses in his stand-up sketches.

"If there is any such clip, show it to me too. I only mock the government. If you are a government lackey, then your feelings getting hurt make sense. How does the Hindu religion figure here?" the comedian said.

Kamra also said that he doesn't blame the club owner who had to cancel his shows.

मेरा जवाब @VHPDigital pic.twitter.com/J9Ah8ad5ur — Kunal Kamra (@kunalkamra88) September 11, 2022

"You got my Gurgaon show cancelled by threatening the club's owner. Why should I blame him? After all, he has a business to run. How will he deal with goons? He can't go to the police. Even if he goes to the police, the police themselves will come to you with a request. Now, the whole system belongs to you," he wrote.

The VHP and Bajrang Dal on Friday had submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav through Tehsildar demanding cancellation of the show, saying Kamra "makes fun of Hindu gods and goddesses in his show, which is quite wrong".

VHP today given a letter to the @DC_Gurugram to cancel the show of AntiHindu Kunal Kamra scheduled in Gurugram on 17th of this month. These hatemongers must be booked under panel provisions of law. Can't be allowed to perform in public. The @gurgaonpolice sud take action. pic.twitter.com/jbLWPX4IRU — विनोद बंसल Vinod Bansal (@vinod_bansal) September 9, 2022

Subsequently, the bar management last week announced that they were cancelling the show to avoid trouble.

Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra also took a jibe at VHP and hoped "at least some of them can read" Kamra's letter.

"Good one Kunal. Let’s hope at least some of them can read…," she tweeted.

Good one Kunal. Let’s hope at least some of them can read… https://t.co/Gyv3qGFQlB — Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) September 11, 2022

(With inputs from agencies)