Setback for Ranveer Allahbadia: Parliamentary panel may summon BeerBiceps for comments on India’s Got Latent

The Parliamentary Information Technology panel is contemplating a summons for YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia, also known as BeerBiceps, over his contentious remarks on the show ‘India’s Got Latent’. This action follows complaints from multiple MPs and FIRs filed against Allahbadia and comedian Samay Raina related to the controversial episode.

The video has been removed from YouTube after the government issued a notice due to its provocative content. 

Panel members, including BJD MP Sasmit Patra and Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, are actively addressing the situation. Chaturvedi criticised the use of abusive language in the episode, emphasising Allahbadia’s significant influence, having hosted several politicians and received an award from the Prime Minister.

“Any abusive language in the name of comedy content crosses limits is not acceptable. You get a platform and that doesn’t mean that you will utter anything,” she stated. The panel aims to tackle the issue imminently, highlighting the necessity of maintaining decorum on public platforms. 

Allahbadia’s remarks, which involved 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?”, have sparked widespread condemnation. Following the backlash, Allahbadia apologised on social media, admitting his “lapse in judgment” and acknowledging that comedy is not his forte.

“My comment wasn’t just inappropriate, it wasn’t even funny. I am just here to say sorry,” he confessed. 

As part of their investigation, the Mumbai Police have summoned Allahbadia for questioning, with a team of five officers visiting his residence in Versova. Meanwhile, the Assam Police have registered an FIR against the show’s judges and host, accusing them of promoting obscenity.  

With Allahbadia boasting 4.5 million followers on Instagram and over 10 million YouTube subscribers, the episode has attracted significant attention. Calls for stricter guidelines from politicians like BJD MP Patra reflect growing concerns about the impact of digital content on young, impressionable audiences.

“It is extremely unfortunate… I want stricter guidelines and stricter measures for such disparaging remarks,” Patra asserted, stressing the importance of accountability in digital media.