Stand-up comedian’s show in Hyderabad cancelled following threats by BJP MLA

Comedian Daniel Fernandes’ show, scheduled at a venue in Jubilee Hills on June 29, was cancelled following video threats posted by the Bharatiya Janata Party MLA for Goshamahal T. Raja Singh

Comedian Daniel Fernandes’ show, scheduled at a venue in Jubilee Hills on June 29, was cancelled following video threats posted by the Bharatiya Janata Party MLA for Goshamahal T. Raja Singh. The MLA alleged that the comedian made offensive remarks against the Jain community and that his party workers will harm him if he shows up in Hyderabad to perform his show. 

Daniel Fernandes, who is touring with his new stand-up special ‘Do you Know Who I Am?’, was supposed to perform at Heart Cup Coffee in Jubilee Hills at 4 p.m. on June 29.  However, the comedian received flak online after his latest video against the Jain community went viral post Bakrid and sparked a controversy.

In a video posted on his social media platforms, the BJP MLA warned Fernandes to cancel his show. “On Bakrid, a comedian named Daniel Fernandes cracked bad jokes and mocked the Jain community. 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 karyakartas will come there and thrash you. You will think 50 times before coming to Telangana,” said Singh in the video. 

Raja Singh also recalled the tensions created in Hyderabad, when comedian Munawar Farooqui was to perform in the city in 2022. “You remember when Munawar came to perform, right? I want to make it clear that, if this situation goes out of hand, the police will be held responsible.” Following this, Daniel Fernandes, in a video statement posted on his Instagram on June 29, said that they were forced to reschedule the show in Hyderabad after threats of violence. “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,” said Fernandes.  He also stated that the video which offended the Jain community has been taken down “However, we are still receiving calls, messages and emails threatening us with violence and vandalism.” 

He issued an apology to the Jain community and said, “It is okay to disagree with an artiste’s work but to say that I will inflict violence upon an artiste because I do not like their work isn’t the answer. To the members of the Jain community: I will say it again. There was no intention of maligning anybody here. I can see that you are upset. I can see that you are angry. It genuinely makes me sad. I do not like how I am feeling right now. I do not like how you are feeling right now. This is not what comedy is about. Comedy is all about all of us getting together and forgetting our worries and having a laugh.”

Earlier in 2022, MLA Raja Singh had threatened to inflict violence on Munawar Farooqui, who was set to perform in Hyderabad. The comedian was accused of hurting Hindu sentiments and his show scheduled in January of 2022 was called off following his threats.  Later, Farooqui performed at the Shilpakala Vedika after the intervention of the then IT Minister K. T. Rama Rao.