Indian comedian Vir Das sued for libel after US performance
Indian comedian Vir Das sued for libel after a performance in the United States.
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Text by: RFI Follow
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The ruling Hindu party blames him for his criticism and has filed several complaints against him.
Another worrying sign for freedom of expression in this country where these comedians are regularly prosecuted or harassed by Hindu groups.
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From our correspondent in New Delhi
,
Sébastien Farcis
On Friday, November 12, Vir Das, one of India's greatest stand-up comedians, performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington.
And he concluded his show with a serious and moving passage, which describes the two Indies which coexist as well as the paradoxes of this society which struggles between modernity and traditions, between respect for diversity and the oppression of minorities.
“
I come from an India where women are worshiped during the day, but where they are gang raped at night.
I come from an India too prudish to talk about sexuality, but where people fuck until they exceed one billion inhabitants
”.
The video of this passage has already been viewed over a million times.
But the ruling Hindu Nationalist Party did not like it, and it filed two complaints, in two different cities, for defamation against the nation, the Prime Minister and Indian women.
Vir Das is unlikely to be convicted, but the proceedings represent judicial harassment - a method regularly used to silence Indian comedians.
One of them, a Muslim, was recently jailed for a month for insulting Hindu gods, which has not been proven.
Now he can no longer take the planks due to threats of violent action from Hindu groups.
► See also: India: from social networks to theaters, comedians threatened by extremists
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