Mumbai: All major political parties in Maharashtra are baying for the blood of comedy group All India Bakchod (AIB) co-founder-creator Tanmay Bhat for his recent video belittling two national icons — singer Lata Mangeshkar and cricketer Sachin Tendulkar — here on Monday.
Maharashtra Navirman Sena vice-president Shalini Thackeray virtually laid siege at the Cyber Cell Branch of Mumbai police vowing not to vacate the premises till Bhat was arrested, while her colleague, MNS Chitrapat Sena chief Amey Khopkar threatened to “beat” him wherever he was visible and stop his shows in the state.
Nationalist Congress Party state spokesperson Nawab Malik termed the AIB video “in extremely bad taste” and demanded severest action against the perpetrators who have insulted two Bharat Ratna laureates.
Similarly, the ruling coalition partners, Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena also sought that the video be deleted from all online media and most stringent action taken against its creators. They also wanted them to be arrested for the objectionable content in the video.
The AIB video, which liberally ridiculed and ‘roasted’ Lata and Sachin, who are revered by their fans, went viral on social media and other channels but triggered outrage all around.
The all-round condemnation since the past two days culminated in the MNS lodging police complaints against Bhat for the ‘highly objectionable content’.
Among other things in the video titled ‘Sachin v/s Lata Civil War’, the AIB suggested why the 86-year old Lata was still ‘alive’ and questioned who was the better player between the 43-year old Sachin and Virat Kohli.
The Mumbai police said that it had already contacted Google, Facebook, YouTube, SnapChat and other channels with a demand to delete the AIB’s contentious video online.
Meanwhile, Bhat was at the receiving end of celebrities on social media networks, with prominent personalities lambasting Bhat and AIB. Anupam Kher said: “I am 9 times winner of Best Comic Actor. Have a great sense of humour. This is NOT humour.”
“Absolutely shocked. Disrespect is not cool and neither is it funny,” said Riteish Deshmukh. Celina Jaitley said she was “absolutely… Shocked and appalled. Not amused. Lata Mangeshkarji needs to be apologized to… NOW.”
On his part, Bhat retorted: “LoL, Twitter, jaha pe logo ke marne se pehle unke marne ki khabar trend hoti hai, ‘tastleless’ aur ‘crass’ jaise words use kar rahi hai.” He urged: “When you guys write about me tomorrow, can you please use my snapchat ID – it’s thetanmay thanks.”
