Nitesh Rane Slams Munawar Faruqui Over Alleged Derogatory Remarks on Konkani People

BJP leader Nitesh Rane criticized comedian Munawar Faruqui, calling him a 'habitual offender' after he made derogatory remarks about Konkani people. Although Faruqui apologized, Rane and others remain unsatisfied. This incident reignited controversies surrounding the comedian and his past remarks about Hindu deities.

Nitesh Rane, a leader from the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), on Wednesday labeled comedian Munawar Faruqui as a 'habitual offender' following Faruqui's derogatory comments about Konkani people. The controversial statements, which have since been retracted with an apology, have once again placed the comedian in the spotlight for the wrong reasons.

Faruqui's recent comments during a stand-up show triggered outrage on social media. In response, Rane stated, 'He spoke about Konkani people and apologized. Then we can also slap him and apologize about it. Konkani people, our religion is not a joke. He should stop this.'

Taking to Instagram, Faruqui posted an apology video saying, 'I noticed that people are getting hurt over my clip and as a comedian, I do not want to hurt anyone. The people I made the joke about enjoyed the show a lot. There were people from all backgrounds at the show - Marathis, Muslims, and Hindus.' He added, 'When we see such reactions on the Internet, we understand the issue. I want to apologize and say sorry to all. Jai Hind, Jai Maharashtra.'

This controversy adds to a list of incidents involving Faruqui, who was arrested in 2021 by Madhya Pradesh police in Indore after accusations by BJP members of mocking Lord Rama.

(With inputs from agencies.)