NEW DELHI: The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) became the latest in chorus of political parties slamming YouTuber and podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia for his “inappropriate” remark on the show India’s Got Latent, calling it “in poor taste”. However, the party also raised issue against the “disproportionate outrage” surrounding the controversy.
Party spokesperson Anish Gawande warned that the backlash could be used to justify tighter government control over digital content creators under the proposed Broadcasting Bill.
“Ranveer’s comments on India’s Got Latent were in poor taste, but the disproportionate outrage risks setting a dangerous precedent,” he said in a post on X.
Gawande said that while Allahbadia’s comments were offensive, the response should not pave the way for increased censorship. “Many of us have spoken out against the proposed Broadcasting Bill, which threatens independent digital creators—we should not let this case become the pivot upon which the bill gains public support,” he said.
The proposed legislation, designed to overhaul India’s broadcasting regulatory framework, had sparked concerns about classifying independent news creators as broadcasters. Initially intended to focus on OTT platforms and digital news, the scope of the legislation was later broadened to include social media accounts, TOI had earlier reported.
“This law is not about accountability—it’s about control. The government has already scrutinised political YouTubers for their 2024 election coverage, and this bill would make it easier to regulate and silence them. We must be careful. Outrage against one creator should not justify a law that will curb free speech for all,” Gawande added.
Allahbadia, widely known as BeerBiceps, apologised after facing a wave of criticism for his controversial question to a contestant on the show. In a video statement, he admitted his comment was “not just inappropriate, it wasn’t even funny” and distanced himself from comedy, saying, “Comedy is not my forte. I am just here to say sorry.”
A formal complaint was lodged against Allahbadia, comedian Samay Raina, and influencer Apoorva Makhija with the Mumbai Police and Maharashtra Women’s Commission, accusing them of using obscene language to gain online popularity.
The national human rights commission (NHRC) has also taken cognisance of the matter, writing to YouTube’s public policy head in India and calling for the episode’s removal. The NHRC’s letter alleged the show contained “highly objectionable, inappropriate, and obscene remarks,” which violated various laws, including the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Information Technology Act.
Allahbadia, who has collaborated with the government in the past and received a National Creators Award from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has since requested the show’s producers to remove the controversial sections. “All I can say in the end is sorry. I hope you can forgive me as a human being,” he said in his apology video.