The cancellation of stand-up comedy shows is not a new phenomenon. In 2022, Munawar Faruqui’s show in Bengaluru was called off due to protests from right-wing groups. Now, another comedian, Daniel Fernandes, has faced a similar situation. His Hyderabad show, scheduled for June 29th, was cancelled following threats from Goshamahal BJP MLA T Raja Singh, as reported by thesouthfirst.com.
The Jubilee Hills Police confirmed the show’s cancellation, citing the MLA’s threats. Fernandes’ show, titled ‘Do you Know Who I Am?’, was to be held at the Heart Cup Coffee in Jubilee Hills. According to reports, Raja Singh had previously threatened Fernandes with physical violence in response to a joke made about the Jain community. He stated, “On Bakri Eid, a comedian named Daniel Fernandes cracked bad jokes and mocked the Jain community.” He further threatened, “I want to remind him, you have a show in Banjara Hills today (Saturday) right? It is better you cancel the show or else our workers will come there and thrash you. You will think 50 times before coming to Telangana.”
Adding to his threats, Raja urged the police to cancel the show, warning, “We urge you to cancel his show, if not, the state we will make of his, everyone will remember, so that no one will ever joke on Jains or the Hindu religion.” He also reminded authorities of the tensions that arose in Hyderabad when Munawar Faruqui was scheduled to perform in the city in 2022, stating, “You remember when Munawar came to perform right? I want to make it clear that, if the situation goes out of hand, it is the police’s responsibility.”
Following the cancellation, Fernandes released a video statement via Instagram, addressing the situation. He explained, “The video that has offended people has been taken down and I have posted an apology earlier. However, we are still receiving calls, messages, and emails threatening us with violence and vandalism. Nobody is ready to guarantee the safety of my audience, my crew and myself. I do not want to put anyone in harm’s way because of something I said.” He reiterated his apology to the Jain community and emphasized that while disagreeing with an artist’s work is acceptable, threatening them is not. He made the difficult decision to cancel the show to ensure the safety of all involved.
