Welcome to 2025, Where Even Jokes Are Dangerous and Free Speech in India is a Myth
Picture this: You’re scrolling through social media, drinking tea/coffee/beer (who am I to judge), and you see a comedian crack a joke about a politician. Next thing you know—venue vandalized, legal complaints filed, and hashtags like #ArrestTheComedian are trending. Now, if this sounds like something out of a dystopian novel, congrats, you live where free speech in India is a myth.
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Stand-up comedians? Getting legal notices.
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Memes? Potentially “anti-national.”
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Social media posts? Government takedowns on the rise.
And the best part? This is all happening in a country that claims to be the world’s largest democracy. 😃
Let’s break down how free speech in India is being attacked from all sides—and why it’s time to fight back.
Kunal Kamra’s “Crime”? Making a Joke.
Kunal Kamra, India’s go-to comedian for political satire, did what comedians do best—he made fun of politicians.
His recent parody song (which, let’s be real, was probably funnier than 90% of Bollywood’s comedy movies) took a dig at Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde.
The response? Absolute chaos:
✔ His show venue was vandalized. (Like, I'm still waiting to see how this makes sense and whose great decision this was.)
✔ Legal complaints started flying.
✔ People called his song “offensive” and “disrespectful” (as if bad governance isn’t).
Pause for a reality check.
Imagine going to a comedy show, expecting laughter, and instead walking into a courtroom drama.
This is what India has come to—where a joke can get you more legal trouble than actual criminals.
Social Media Censorship: X vs. Indian Government
While comedians are being bullied offline, digital platforms are fighting for your right to post online.
The company formerly known as Twitter (now X) has filed a lawsuit against the Indian government, saying,
"Hey, maybe you shouldn’t be allowed to remove every tweet that criticizes you?"
The government’s response?
"Beta, ye democracy hai, lekin hamare hisaab se." (This is democracy, but only on our terms.)
In simple terms:
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The government says, “Delete this tweet, we don’t like it.”
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X says, “Why though?”
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The government says, “Because we said so.”
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X takes them to court.
You might be wondering how this is relevant, but imagine things going like this:
X doesn’t want to blindly delete tweets.
The government wants full control over online speech.
And if X loses this case, we’re looking at a future where every social media post needs government approval.
The Indian government wants the power to control what people post online—and X is saying, “Hold on, that sounds a lot like censorship.”
Now, I get it. Not all content deserves to stay up. Hate speech? Dangerous misinformation? That’s a different story.
But removing criticism, political satire, or opinions? That’s just authoritarian behavior with extra steps. So, what's next? Getting arrested for an Instagram story?
Why Are Politicians So Sensitive?
Indian politicians love free speech—until it’s about them.
Think about it:
✔ They have zero problems with hate speech, misogyny, or fake news.
✔ But one meme, one joke, one criticism? Suddenly, the whole nation is under attack.
At this rate, comedians might have to start performing on mute to avoid hurting political feelings.
(Even then, someone will get offended—“The way he stood silently was very anti-national.”)
(Here's the video link from where I've stolen the thumbnail btw)
Censorship Gone Wild: What’s Next?
If this trend continues, here’s what our future looks like:
🚨 Stand-up comedy will only be about traffic problems and paneer jokes. (We can't be friends if you don't get the paneer reference like are you fr?)
🚨 Social media will feel like Doordarshan news—100% government-approved content.
🚨 Anyone questioning bad policies or corruption will get labeled “anti-national.”
🚨 Memes will be illegal. (Yes, even the “guy pointing at his head” meme.)
We’re not in a democracy anymore—we’re in a country where free speech is a crime.
How India is Slowly Becoming China 2.0
For years, people mocked China for its internet censorship—banning platforms, controlling information, and deciding what its citizens can see online.
Now? India is slowly heading in the same direction.
- Comedians silenced.
- Social media posts deleted.
- News channels controlled.
What’s next? Government-approved WhatsApp forwards? "Press 1 to receive today’s official opinion on political matters."
The Selective Sensitivity Problem
Here’s what’s hilarious (and by hilarious, I mean sad).
The same people who preach about “Bharat is a democracy” get offended when anyone actually uses democratic rights.
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Comedy? Not allowed.
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Memes? Dangerous for the nation.
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Social media opinions? Anti-national.
Meanwhile, actual criminals walk free, and half of Bollywood’s movies are just big-budget propaganda pieces.
It’s giving double standards, and honestly, I’m tired.
What Can YOU Do?
If we don’t push back now, we’re setting ourselves up for a future where:
❌ Every stand-up special is government-approved.
❌ Social media will only have praise for politicians.
❌ Journalists will be too scared to report actual news.
So here’s what you can do:
✔ Support comedians, journalists, and creators.
✔ Call out censorship when you see it.
✔ Stop worshipping politicians like celebrities.
✔ Think before supporting censorship—today it’s a joke, tomorrow it’s YOUR voice that’s silenced.
Final Thoughts: If We Don’t Fight for Free Speech, We Lose It
India calls itself a democracy.
But if jokes, tweets, and memes can get you in trouble, is it really?
If we don’t defend free speech, we’ll wake up one day in a country where:
📌 Every joke needs government approval.
📌 Social media is just one big Modi fan page.
📌 Nobody questions power anymore.
And trust me, that’s not a country we want to live in.
Related Read:
This isn’t an isolated case—other comedians and influencers are also facing backlash for speaking up. Read more here 👉 Click here
Now over to you.
🔹 Are we too sensitive as a country?
🔹 Is censorship necessary or just an excuse to silence critics?
🔹 Should comedy and politics be kept separate?
Drop your thoughts in the comments! 🚀 And if you believe in free speech, SHARE THIS BLOG.
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