(Image source from: americanbazaaronline.com)
An Indian origin American comedian Hasan Minhaj in the latest episode of ‘Patriot Act’, in his weekly news comedy show on Netflix, has delivered a hilarious primer on the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Hasan begins the episode by showing desi uncles and aunties warning him against discussing Indian politics.
“Look, talking about politics in India can get you in a lot of trouble, especially because I am Indian and Muslim,” the comedian says. “It is very weird to be something that people love and also be something that people do not like. Right, it’s like if one half of you was Oreo cookie and the other half with Muslim.”
Minhaj explains the stakes in the election: “Since [Prime Minister Narendra] Modi came to power, India has grown more hostile to minority groups. Among a vocal minority, there has been a resurgence in religious nationalism, specifically Hindu nationalism, the idea that India is a Hindu nation,” which is against secularism, enshrined in the Indian constitution.
Joking about his background as a Muslim, the comedian says he might be branded as a Pakistani agent, or a Qatari agent, or an Iranian, or a Saudi.
One of the highlights of the episode is Minhaj’s interview with Congress Party leader Shashi Tharoor. The comedian asks the former minister to name one political figure in the United States that Americans could identify Tharoor with. But the Member of Indian Parliament says that there is no equivalent, as the systems in the two countries are different.
Watch the Entire Episode Here:
The show also speaks about, among other issues, corruption and criminality in Indian politics, the absurdities and the banalities on Indian television, and the much-talked-about hug between Modi and President Donald Trump during their White House meeting a couple of years ago.
Citing Modi’s response to Gujarat riots and the prime minister’s “history of saying a lot with silence,” Minhaj says, “Ultimately, Modi follows the Lil Wayne rule of diplomacy: Real G’s move in silence like lasagna.”
Minhaj, who came to national prominence through Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, as a “senior correspondent,” launched the Patriot Act in October 2018. He is the first South Asian American to have a weekly show on Netflix.
-Sangam Sowmya
