A few hours before stand-up comic Munawar Faruqui’s show is set to begin, the area around Shilpakala Vedika was under siege. Hundreds of policemen guarded the venue for smooth conduct of the programme titled ‘Dongri to Nowhere’.
While Faruqui’s Bengaluru show on August 19 was cancelled, Hyderabad programme is sold out. Shilpakala Vedika has a seating capacity of 2100. A BJP MLA from Hyderabad has threatened to disrupt the event leading to increased police deployment at the venue.
Hundreds of policemen fanned out in a radius of 200 metres to stop trouble makers from reaching the venue. The event has acquired higher profile after Faruqui thanked IT Minister K.T.Rama Rao for the invitation: “Taking up on your kind invitation @KTRTRS Sir.” Mr Rao invited Faruqui to perform in the city after a series of his events were cancelled under pressure from Right Wing groups.