Sena legislator calls for content censorship

While a video of stand-up comedian Agrima Joshua’s act wherein she spoke about the statue of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the Arabian Sea off the Mumbai coastline has led to controversy, Shiv Sena legislator Manisha Kayande has called for censorship of the content and script of these shows and performances.

Kayande, a member of legislative council (MLC), has called for a ban on stand-up comedians who insulted or defamed national icons or women. She has also called for Joshua’s arrest.

“Under the guise of freedom of expression, stand-up comedy shows defame many famous personalities, and thinkers, women, icons and at times, even a community,” said Kayande, adding that youngsters were becoming stand-up comedians for quick publicity. They often made jokes based on incomplete information, and historic events, which often led to the denigration of national icons or even a community, either inadvertently or on purpose, she charged.

These shows also saw jokes on figures from epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata.

“…it has become essential to impose censorship on these shows. Social media is a double-edged sword. To gain quick publicity, these youngsters often lose sense of what they are doing and about whom they are talking about during these comedy shows. Hence, I have sought a permanent ban on standup comedy shows and artistes who make jokes on national icons and women and made this demand to home minister Anil Deshmukh,” said Kayande.