Won't stop posting content, be intimidated: Vir Das on receiving abuses
Mumbai: Actor-comedian Vir Das on Thursday said he won't be intimidated by online hate, but requested followers to avoid the "monsoon of abuses" coming his way from trolls by not reading the comments on his Twitter.
Das' remarks came a day after several comics, including Aadar Malik, Sahil Shah and Azeem Banatwalla, apologised for their years old and "out-of-context" videos and social media posts that have resurfaced online.
The comedians said they were sorry if they had offended or hurt anyone's religious sentiments and also requested that their families be spared of online vitriol.
Das posted a note on Twitter, saying he would continue to share stand-up content, but simply won't read comments on his page "for about four or five days".
"That's all. Like a few Indian comics right now, my comments section is a monsoon of abusive language. Avoidable. That doesn't mean I'm going to stop posting content or be intimidated in any way shape or form.
"But I'm just not reading them. And if I'm not reading them, and you're not reading them, the angries don't get the attention they crave. So enjoy the content, avoid the comments," the 41-year-old comic wrote.
Recently, several comics such as Das, Rohan Joshi and Kaneez Surka had alleged that their personal contact information and addresses were leaked online, which led to vicious trolling.
Das said he was overwhelmed with the love and support coming his way.
"I want to thank you for it. This isn't so bad, you should read some of my reviews. More content soon. Peace," the "Hasmukh" actor added.
Earlier this week, Twitter users dug out screenshots of jokes of some comics, including Varun Grover, Aditi Mittal, Abish Mathew, which they had cracked in the past.
These users claim that comedians used Hindu gods in their joke punchlines and started trending #HinduphobicComedyIndustry.
On Tuesday, private contact details of these comics were shared from an anonymous Twitter account. The account was later suspended.
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India trashes Canada's allegations against Amit Shah as 'absurd and baseless'
New Delhi (PTI): India has protested in the strongest possible terms the references made by a Canadian minister about Union Home Minister Amit Shah and such "absurd and baseless" allegations will have serious consequences for bilateral ties between the two countries, the Minister of External Affairs said on Saturday.
The comments came after Canada's Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison on Tuesday alleged that Shah ordered a campaign of violence, intimidation and intelligence-gathering targeting Sikh separatists inside Canada.
Morrison had also told Canadian Parliament members of the national security committee that he had confirmed Shah's name to The Washington Post, which first reported the allegations.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said this revelation that high Canadian government officials deliberately leaked unfounded insinuations to international media as part of a conscious strategy to discredit India and influence other nations only confirms the view that the Indian government has long held about the current Canadian government's political agenda and behavioural pattern.
Replying to queries during a weekly press briefing here, Jaiswal said such irresponsible actions will have serious consequences for bilateral ties.
He said India summoned a Canadian High Commission representative on Friday and the official was served a diplomatic note to lodge the protest in strongest terms on the "absurd and baseless" references made by the Canadian deputy minister about India's Union Home Minister.
While addressing the Parliament members, Morrison did not say how Canada knew of Shah's alleged involvement.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had said a year ago that Canada had credible evidence agents of the Indian government were involved in the murder of Canadian Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June 2023.
Dismissing the allegations as absurd, Indian government officials have consistently denied that Canada provided evidence.
