Ranveer Allahbadia Faces Summons As Crass Remarks Row Reaches Parliament

Assam police has registered an FIR against Allahbadia, YouTuber Ashish Chanchlani, comic Jaspreet Singh, Makhija, Raina and others for promoting obscenity

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Ranveer Allahbadia has 4.5 million followers on Instagram and 1.05 crore YouTube subscribers

New Delhi:

Trouble is mounting for YouTuber and podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia over his remarks on the roast show India's Got Latent. While the 31-year-old has apologised for his crass comments, the row surrounding his remarks is snowballing into a major crisis

Here's your 10-point cheat sheet to this big story
  1. Following complaints from several MPs, a Parliamentary panel on information technology is discussing whether to summon Allahbadia. The podcaster may be issued a notice, seeking his appearance before the panel to answer questions linked to the row. 
  2. Priyanka Chaturvedi, Rajya Sabha MP from Shiv Sena (UBT), has said she would raise the issue. "Any abusive language in the name of comedy content crosses limits is not acceptable . You get a platform, that doesn't mean that you will utter anything. He is someone with millions of subscribers, every political has sat in his podcast. PM has given him an award... As a member of standing committee of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, I will raise this issue," she said on X.
  3. Police complaints have been filed in Mumbai and Guwahati against Ranveer Allahbadia, comic Samay Raina, influencer Apoorva Makhija and others linked to the India's Got Latent episode where Allahbadia made the crass remarks. 
  4. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has said the state police has registered an FIR against Allahbadia, YouTuber Ashish Chanchlani, comic Jaspreet Singh, Makhija, Raina and others for promoting obscenity and engaging in a sexually explicit and vulgar discussion.
  5. In Mumbai, multiple complaints have been filed against Allahbadia, who has 4.5 million followers on Instagram and 1.05 crore YouTube subscribers. Police have said they are investigating the matter. Allahbadia and Raina have been asked to join the probe. A Mumbai Police team today visited Allahbadia's home in this connection. 
  6. Amid the row over Allahbadia's remarks, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said he was informed about this matter. "Everyone has freedom of speech but this freedom ends when we encroach upon others' freedom. Everyone has limits, if anyone crosses them, action will be taken," he said.
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  8. Allahbadia, also known as the BeerBiceps Guy, recently appeared in an episode of India's Got Latent hosted by Raina. A short clip from the show, which is now viral, shows Allahbadia asking a contestant, "Would you rather watch your parents have sex every day for the rest of your life or join in once and stop it forever."
  9. After the remarks sparked a massive row, Allahbadia issued an apology and said comedy was not his forte and that he had a lapse in judgement. "My comment wasn't just inappropriate, it was not even funny. Comedy is not my forte, I am just here to say sorry," he said in a video message.
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  11. The podcaster said this was not how he wished to use his platform. "I am not going to give any context or justification or reasoning behind whatever happened. I am just here for an apology. I personally had a lapse in judgement. It wasn't cool on my part," he said.
  12. The incident has prompted a wave of criticism against crass content in comedy shows. Singer B Praak, who was to appear in Allahbadia's show, has cancelled the plan and urged stand-up comedians to be careful about the content they create.
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