Samay Raina removes all 'India's Got Latent' episodes, says will cooperate with agencies
New Delhi, Feb 12 (PTI): Comedian Samay Raina on Wednesday said he has removed all episodes of "India's Got Latent" from his YouTube channel, days after the show landed in a controversy over a remark by influencer Ranveer Allahbadia.
In his first response since the controversy erupted earlier this week, Raina said he will fully cooperate with all the investigating agencies in their probe.
"Everything that is happening has been too much for me to handle. I have removed all 'India's Got Latent' videos from my channel. My only objective was to make people laugh and have a good time. I will fully cooperate with all agencies to ensure their inquiries are concluded fairly. Thank you," Raina, 27, posted on X.
On Tuesday, the controversial episode of the show was removed by YouTube following orders from the central government. "India’s Got Latent", which started in June 2024, had aired 18 episodes till now.
Allahbadia, 31, found himself at the centre of a major controversy after his comments on parents and sex on Raina's show went viral on social media Monday, sparking widespread criticism and police complaints in Mumbai and Guwahati.
Allahbadia, popularly known as BeerBiceps, has already apologised for his "lapse in judgement" but the issue has refused to die down.
On Wednesday, the Mumbai Police recorded the statements of four persons, including social media influencer Apoorva Mukhija, who also appeared on the show
According to an official from Khar police station, statements were taken from four individuals, including Allahbadia's manager—but not Allahbadia himself.
The Maharashtra Cyber Department has also registered a First Information Report under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act against the show. More than 40 people, including Allahbadia and Raina, have been summoned to join the probe.
The National Commission for Women (NCW) has asked Allahbadia, Raina, Mukhija, Jaspreet Singh, and Ashish Chanchlani, as well as the show's producers Tushar Poojari and Saurabh Bothra to appear before it on February 17 in New Delhi.
The issue was also raised in Parliament by Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske who called for a law to regulate social media.
Actor and stand-up comedian Vir Das shared his opinion on the controversy on his Instagram Stories.
Das criticised television media's endless coverage on Allahbadia without naming the influencer.
"A good artist will take their feedback head down, mouth shut, and maybe evolve. Either way, the consequences of your comedy on your career and audience are pretty instant. That's a natural process...
"And while we debate what good comedy is, please debate what good journalism is, and the news that they SHOULD be doing, the questions they SHOULD be asking, and who they should be asking them to (sic)," Das said.
Raina rose to prominence after winning the second season of "Comicstaan" in 2019. He currently has six million followers on Instagram and 7.45 million on YouTube.
The comedian got involved in the controversy just days after he appeared on Amitabh Bachchan's long-running game show "Kaun Banega Crorepati" with Tanmay Bhat.
Raina is currently in the US for 'Samay Raina Unfiltered' comedy tour. He recently performed in San Jose and has gigs lined up in Washington DC, New Jersey, New York, and Canadian cities including Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal.
There have also been media reports that Raina's stand-up shows in Ahmedabad and Surat have been canceled.
Everything that is happening has been too much for me to handle. I have removed all Indias Got Latent videos from my channel. My only objective was to make people laugh and have a good time. I will fully cooperate with all agencies to ensure their inquiries are concluded fairly.…
— Samay Raina (@ReheSamay) February 12, 2025
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Over 350 illegal religious structures removed along Nepal border
Lucknow, May 11 (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday said that more than 350 unauthorised religious sites, including madrasas, mosques, mazars and Eidgahs, have been identified and subjected to sealing or demolition in recent days, an official statement issued here said.
Acting on Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's clear directive that no religious encroachment will be tolerated, the administration in districts such as Pilibhit, Shravasti, Balrampur, Bahraich, Siddharthnagar and Maharajganj has launched a sweeping campaign, it said.
The authorities have systematically identified illegal structures and taken strict action, continuing operations even on Sunday.
The chief minister has made it clear that encroachment in the name of any religion will not be allowed and all violators, especially those running unrecognised religious institutions, will face legal consequences, the statement said.
On May 10 and 11, 104 madrasas, one mosque, five mazars and two Eidgahs built illegally on public and private land were identified in Shravasti. All were issued notices and sealed, it said.
One illegal madrasa on public land was demolished and two unrecognized madrasas on private land were sealed, the statement added.
In Bahraich, officials identified 13 madrasas, eight mosques, two mazars and one Eidgah illegally constructed on government land.
After issuing notices, five were sealed and 11 were demolished, including eight madrasas, two mosques and one mazar, the statement said.
In Siddharthnagar, the authorities identified four mosques and 18 madrasas and one more madrasa for illegal construction. Notices were issued to these structures. Five madrasas were sealed and nine were demolished. In total, action was taken against 23 illegal structures in the district, it said.
In Maharajganj’s Nautanwa tehsil, Parsamalik village, an unrecognized madrasa operating on Maktab land was shut down based on a report submitted by the District Minority Welfare Officer.
The building’s keys were handed over to the local police station in-charge. So far, 29 madrasas and five mazars constructed through encroachment on public and private land have been demolished in the district.
In past two days in Lakhimpur Kheri, two mosques, one Eidgah on public land along with eight madrasas on private land were found to be illegally constructed.
Of the 13 structures identified, one was served a notice, nine were sealed and three have been demolished so far, the statement said.
The district authorities in Pilibhit have identified an illegal mosque built on public land in Bharatpur village, covering an area of 0.0310 hectares.
According to the district magistrate, a notice has been issued to the parties involved, seeking a response within 15 days. Action against the illegal construction will be taken after the notice period ends, it said.
On Sunday, an under-construction madrasa on public land in Virpur Semra village, Tulsipur tehsil, was demolished in Balrampur. So far, 30 madrasas, 10 mazars and one Eidgah have been demolished in the district.
Ten of them were built illegally on public land, while 20 were constructed without authorization on private land, the statement said.
