Comedian Agrima Joshua apologises for 'hurting sentiments' with Chhatrapati Shivaji joke after Shiv Sena MLA demands arrest

A reportedly old video of stand-up comedian Agrima Joshua which resurfaced online has incurred the wrath of several netizens as it contained a joke about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The Habitat, the venue in Mumbai at which the show was performed, was also ransacked by miscreants in protest against the comedian’s routine which allegedly targeted and hurt the sentiments of the followers of Shivaji Maharaj. In a tweet, The Habitat said, “To put forth a message, we devote our lives to finding creative expression. Not towards acts of barbaric violence or mindless sharing of violence.”

Thank you, to our family 🙏
Hope you are all safe at home during these troubled times. pic.twitter.com/pvT2AVeBeG

— The Habitat (@IndieHabitat) July 11, 2020

According to the Free Press Journal, in the video, the comedian can be heard commenting on a Shivaji Maharaj statue set to be erected in the Arabian Sea while making jocular references to what was said about it on Quora. A Mumbai Mirror report also added that the video prompted Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik to write a letter to Home Minister Anil Deshmukh demanding her arrest. Taking to Twitter, he wrote, “Some comedian named Agrima Joshua has made contemptuous comments against Shivaji Maharaj while presenting her comedy. I saw the video and I feel she doesn’t have respect for Shivaji Maharaj or she doesn’t know about 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 Baburao Sarnaik (@PratapSarnaik) July 10, 2020

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For her part, taking down the video, Joshua issued an apology on Twitter saying, “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.”