Political parties across the spectrum have slammed YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia for his remarks on parental sex during a fellow video content creator’s show.
Allahbadia, known for his podcast BeerBiceps, was awarded the Disruptor of The Year award by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the inaugural National Creators Awards last year. Allahbadia had collaborated with the Centre’s MyGov platform to interview Union ministers Rajeev Chandrasekhar, S. Jaishankar, Smriti Irani and Piyush Goyalin 2023.
On Sunday’s episode of India’s Got Latent — a spoof by comedian Samay Raina on the TV show India’s Got Talent — Allahbadia repeated a devil-or-deep-sea choice question on parental sex. The question was lifted from Australia’s Truth or Drink podcast by comedian Samantha Walsh.
Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis told reporters: “I have been informed about this, though I have not watched it yet. I came to know that it was very vulgar and this was wrong. 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.”
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate posted on X: “This isn’t creative. It’s pervert. And we can’t normalise perverse behaviour as cool. The fact that this sick comment received loud applause must worry us all.”
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, a parliamentary committee member on information and broadcasting, said she would take up the matter. While online media does not have pre-censorship in India, YouTube channels, particularly those dealing with political content, often get blocked on requests from enforcement agencies. The Centre has also nudged OTTplatforms to submit to greater regulation.
The National Human Rights Commission and the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights wrote to YouTube on Monday to remove the episode. After multiple complaints, Mumbai police reached the studio of India’s Got Latent to inquire into the matter although they have not revealed whether a case has been registered yet.
Allahbadia has apologised for his comments through a video. “My comment wasn’t just inappropriate, it wasn’t even funny. Comedy is not my forte. I’m just here to say sorry. Many of you asked if this is how I wish to use myplatform and obviously this is not how I wish to use it. I’m not going to give any context or justification or reasoning behind whatever happened,” he said.
Journalist Rajdeep Sardesai posted on X: “I see lots of people up in arms over @BeerBicepsGuy obscene remarks including politicians and public figures. I wish many of them would speak up when hate speech aimed at inciting mistrust and violence between communities is being ‘normalised’. Ranveer’s remarks were wholly inappropriate but hate speech is where we must really draw the line on free speech. Agree?”
