Recently, Twitter witnessed an outrage-storm due to Vir Das’ monologue at the John F Kennedy Center, Washington. The monologue captured his perception of Two Indias – the good and the bad, the irony and the hypocrisy!
The not-so-impressive side of India, which is not wrong factually, offended many people. While many applauded Vir Das for speaking up the hard truth, many called for authorities to take legal action against him for his attempt to defame India in the US.
Here are the five headline-making statements from Two Indias that left the netizens divided:
1. “I come from an India where we worship women during the day and gang-rape them at night.”
Even though both the facts are true, the statement pissed off many people. The people who were offended by the statement dared to claim otherwise. So, if the statements are true then why people are p be the reason why people are pissed off is because ghar ki baat ghar mein rehni chahiye thi.
I come from an India where we worship women during the day and gang-rape them at night ~ Comedian Vir Das at Washington DC.
— Anshul Saxena (@AskAnshul) November 16, 2021
If we stop worshiping women (Hindu Goddesses), will rape cases in India stop?
In countries where women are not worshipped, there are no rape cases? Right?
2. “I come from an India where we have the largest working population under 30 on the planet, but still listen to 75-year-old leaders with 150-year-old ideas.”
Vir Das’s statements about our political leaders having the archaic mindset did not sit well with many. From time to time, we have witnessed our political leaders making regressive statements – from blaming the victims for sexual assault to commenting on women wearing jeans to many other. But, still there are some, who have issues with this view!
You come from an India, @VirDas, where you make a living by insulting your own nation!!
— Priti Gandhi – प्रीति गांधी (@MrsGandhi) November 16, 2021
You come from an India, that allows your disgusting, derogative nonsense to pass off as freedom of speech!!
You come from an India, that has tolerated your slander for way to long!!#Shame pic.twitter.com/YGRfDqQknj
3. “I come from an India where every time we get information, we are always available to care for the PM but we can’t seem to get information on PMCARES.”
Now, no one can deny that the debate on PMCARES fund is unending. While a group of people says the PM fund historically has been exempt from public scrutiny; the other group reason why the spending of the fund meant for public good needs to be confidential.
Vir Das wants information about PMCARES.. so much so he has complained about it in his stand up act in the USA. pic.twitter.com/ZMdKFsGwHZ
— Maya (@Sharanyashettyy) November 16, 2021
4. “I come from an India where we take pride in being vegetarians, and yet run over the farmers who grow our vegetables.”
As a country, we have always taken pride in being a vegetarian. Recently, some local leaders in Gujarat raised a hue and cry about selling non-vegetarian food in the open. While the second part of Vir Das’s statement is why the son of a Union minister is in jail.
I see a terrorist in this man called #Virdas
— Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) November 16, 2021
He is one of those members of a sleeper cell who has waged a war against our country on a foreign land .
Should be immediately arrested under #UAPA and tried under terror laws . @AmitShah @HMOIndia @MumbaiPolice @CPMumbaiPolice pic.twitter.com/RMYQf7a0Ul
5. “I come from an India where the AQI is 9000, but we still sleep on the roof and look up at the stars.”
Okay! India’s AQI isn’t 9000. But, Vir Das used the tool of exaggeration to make his point. The deterioting state of Delhi and adjoining areas’ air quality is making international records for being the worst.
.@thevirdas comes from an India where AQI is 9000. Not sure about AQI but his IQ is definetly some imaginary number. These are the people who go around world shaming India and then cry racism. pic.twitter.com/2cGOnzaHcc
— Facts (@BefittingFacts) November 16, 2021
While some applauded Vir Das statements, the others got offended. Out of people who got offended, one of them is Kangana Ranaut. She called Vir Das a ‘terrorist’.
Vir Das received equal support from many who were in awe of his act, which was full of courage and facts!
I was very moved by this @thevirdas. I come from an India where it needs courage for a Vir Das to say this, I come from an India where many of us admire this courage, yet choose to remain silent.
Vir Das | I COME FROM TWO INDIAS https://t.co/K4BU1OhP4i via @YouTube— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) November 17, 2021
“I challenge anyone to stand up and say that anything that he (#VirDas) said was factually incorrect. It wasn’t”: TMC leader @MahuaMoitra tells India Today. Here are excerpts from her exclusive interview with @sardesairajdeep https://t.co/TjPlPxNpGu
— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) November 17, 2021
I come from an India where greater accountability is demanded from a comedian and none from an elected minister whose son mowed down protestors. #VirDas
— Rohini Singh (@rohini_sgh) November 17, 2021
Vir Das tweeted a long clarification about the Two Indias after the backlash, saying that he doesn’t hate India, nor is he trying to spread malice against the country and its people. Also, to quote him from the monologue: “Which India am I proud of? One of them. Which India is proud of me? None of them.”
— Vir Das (@thevirdas) November 16, 2021
What do you think?