The controversy over the disgusting statements made by Ranveer Allahbadia does not seem to end, nor do his problems. He is not a new name on social media. Hearing such derogatory and extremely offensive words from him was not only shocking but also showed what these social media stars could do in the name of dark comedy.
For those unversed, Ranveer is a successful young podcaster running various YouTube channels. Though there were other participants in the show, his perverted words suggesting incestuous actions have brought everyone together—whether they are politicians of different ideologies, leftists, nationalists, or any other group in the country.
Those who encouraged him are equally responsible—be it Jaspreet Singh, Apoorva Makhija, Samay Raina (whose show Ranveer was attending), or the participants and audience themselves. None of them tried to stop or discourage him while making those statements; instead, they applauded and rejoiced.
They all should be booked, jailed, and heavily fined so that the message is loud and clear. Freedom of speech or expression is everyone’s right, but dismantling values and societal norms in its name is unacceptable. Samay Raina is notorious for his cheap and so-called dark (vulgar) comedy. Apoorva Makhija is no exception, nor is Jaspreet Singh. By the way, I used to like and watch Jaspreet’s videos, but seeing him laughing out loud over Ranveer’s outrageous words made me decide to unsubscribe and unfollow him.
Everyone in that video indulged in the same disgusting content. But why has Ranveer’s case come into the limelight, facing so much backlash? Because he dishonoured the sacred relationships between parents and children. Everyone took offense as they felt it personally. In any culture, in any corner of the world, such statements are never welcomed. This has nothing to do with religion, culture, or civilisation.
Secondly, the kind of content he has created—especially spiritual content—garnered him massive public support and views. He became a highly respected and widely followed internet star. However, each word spoken by him in that show shattered the public’s illusion and tarnished his image.
His apology is unacceptable. He is a grown man of 31 who knew very well the havoc his words would wreak. People like him do not deserve our attention and views. Today, spirituality has become a trendy topic for people like Ranveer, and it has turned into a lucrative business to mint money. They are thriving on it.
People like Ranveer need to be called out. Do whatever you can—name, shame, and criticise them online. Take legal action. Do whatever is possible within the ambit of the law. The law will take its course, but the public’s response should be exemplary and visible to all. People must be held accountable for their words and actions.
Tags: Apoorva Makhija, Ashish Chanchlani, India's Got Latent, Jaspreet Singh, Ranveer Allahbadia, Samay Raina