Stand-up comedian Agrima Joshua has been facing rape threats and abuse for the last two days, over a clip of her performance from April 2019. In the video, Agrima speaks about Chhatrapati Shivaji's upcoming statue in Maharashtra and the funny rumours about the statue on the Q&A website Quora.
Several people have claimed that the video from 2019 is offensive towards Shivaji, and while Agrima has apologised and taken down the video, threats and abuses have continued.
YouTuber Shubham Mishra, in fact, threatened gangrape on the comic in a profanity-laden response on Instagram. But while the Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has asked the police to take legal action against Agrima, there has been no word from anyone in power on Shubham Mishra's threat.
Here's the full sequence of events:
1. Agrima's 2019 video causes furore online with several people accusing her of disrespecting Chhatrapati Shivaji.
2. Agrima tweets to Aaditya Thackeray, the son of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, stating that the BJP’s IT cell has unleashed trolls on her and were pretending to be from the Shiv Sena. “Now, I am pretty sure the Shiv Sena, has better things to take care of in Maharashtra right now, than some comic doing her job,” she had said.
Dear @AUThackeray
— Agrima Joshua (@Agrimonious) July 10, 2020
If you aren't already aware of this, the @BJP4India IT Cell has unleashed a bunch of trolls at me claiming they're Shiv Sena. Now, I am pretty sure the Shiv Sena, has better things to take care of in Maharashtra right now, than some comic doing her job.
3. The Habitat, where the clip was filmed in Mumbai, was vandalised reportedly by workers of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena on Friday night. MNS also demanded an apology from Agrima.
Thank you, to our family
— The Habitat (@IndieHabitat) July 11, 2020
Hope you are all safe at home during these troubled times. pic.twitter.com/pvT2AVeBeG
4. Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik tweeted that he had written to Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh seeking Agrima’s arrest, and that strict action should be taken against her. He also added that she does not know who Shivaji Maharaj is, and claimed she insulted him.
छत्रपती शिवाजी महाराजांचा अवमान करणाऱ्या मुजोर कॉमेडियन अग्रीमा जोशुआला ताबडतोब अटक करण्यासंदर्भात मी गृहमंत्री मा. श्री. @AnilDeshmukhNCP यांना पत्र लिहिले आहे. आपण या विषयांची अत्यंत गंभीर दखल घेऊन असल्या विकृत कॉमेडियन ला अटक करून कडक कायदेशीर कारवाई करावी अशी माझी मागणी आहे. pic.twitter.com/AGuzgYpmtR
— Pratap Sarnaik (@PratapSarnaik) July 10, 2020
5. Soon, Anil Deshmukh tweeted that he has instructed Mumbai’s Commissioner of Police of the Inspector-General of Cyber to “take legal action expeditiously”.
“I urge everyone to maintain calm and law will take its course,” he said.
I ve instructed CP Mumbai and IG Cyber to take legal action expeditiously ..I urge everyone to maintain calm and law will take its course. https://t.co/laFCARvKUC
— ANIL DESHMUKH (@AnilDeshmukhNCP) July 11, 2020
6. Agrima puts out a video apologising for the 2019 show.
I am sorry for having hurt the sentiments of the many followers of the great leader Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. My heartfelt apologies to followers of the great leader, who I sincerely respect. The video has already been taken down. Please amplify.
— Agrima Joshua (@Agrimonious) July 10, 2020
मेरी क्षमायाचना स्वीकार करे,
— Agrima Joshua (@Agrimonious) July 11, 2020
Please accept my humble apology,@cmoMaharashtra @authackrey@anildeshmukhncp@nitinraut@RajThackrey pic.twitter.com/uHBZMBPOfB
7. Meanwhile, Shubham Mishra puts out an abusive video threatening gangrape against Agrima. Another comedian, Kunal Kamra, raised the matter of Shubham’s video with the National Commission for Women.
Dear @NCWIndia does this concern you, we see this scumbag give open threats to a female comedian who has already apologised & taken her objectionable video down... pic.twitter.com/c7OiHf0yUl
— Kunal Kamra (@kunalkamra88) July 11, 2020
8. In an Instagram post, Shubham Mishra claims that he had no intention of giving rapes threats, but pulled down his video of his response to Agrima because people thought so. He will say other things that he has to say in a live video on Sunday, he added.
9. The National Commission for Women on Saturday sought immediate action from the Gujarat Police for Shubham Mishra's video hurling abuses and giving rape threats to a female stand-up comedian on social media. In a letter to Gujarat Director General of Police (DGP) Shivanand Jha of the NCW said the commission has been tagged in a video posted on Twitter in which the man can be seen hurling abuses and giving rape threats to the woman.
"The NCW is committed to creating safe online space for women and ensuring cybersecurity to women and is perturbed by the rise in use of cyberspace to instigate crime against women," NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma said in the letter sent late Saturday night.
"Considering the sensitivity of the matter, it is requested that the immediate action shall be taken as per the Information Technology Act, 2000, against the miscreant and a feedback be apprised to the Commission," she said.
Keeping in line with #NCW's commitment towards ensuring safety of #women online, our Chairperson @sharmarekha has written to @dgpgujarat for taking immediate action against Shubham Mishra, the man hurling abuses against a female comedian in this video.@kunalkamra88 @SaketGokhale https://t.co/6zfr6IEbyX
— NCW (@NCWIndia) July 11, 2020