BJP supporter Censor Board member Ashoke Pandit Objectionable tweet creates controversy

The AIB controversy has taken an ugly turn as censor board member Ashoke Pandit took to Twitter on the issue of the complaints against the AIB Roast on Tuesday.

The filmmaker had used the micro-site to support Maharashtra government’s decision to conduct an inquiry into the show. In let out a series tweets in favour of it and questioned whether AIB had followed necessary procedures and sought approvals from police for the format of their show.

One of his tweets targeting Karan Johar got too personal and insensitive and received a lot of flak from fellow Twitter users.

Pandit had tweeted,

He called AIB knockout a porn show.

Pandit demanded to know whether a stage play was approved by the Authorities which approve plays?

He also questioned whether the police given permission despite knowing what B in AIB stands for.

Many Twitter users were aghast by the language used by the newly appointed Censer Board member

Some felt the nation was turning into a Talibani rule

Some were disappointed in the language used by the well known filmmaker

Others were saddened by the choice of words by Pandit

People were quick to point out Pandit’s hypocrisy

Many simply lambasted him; actress Mona Ambegaonkar calling him ‘sick’.

Pandit however stood by his tweet and his critique of AIB Knockout.

In a quote to a news channel, he said, “I stand by my tweet. If you depict masturbation on stage it is porn. Will you see this with your parents and family? It’s a shame to call it charity. Karan Johar, Arjun, Ranveer are icons. Don’t teach me what is humour – I am the king of comedy. I have done many comedy shows. I am the king of comedy.”

Maharashtra government on Monday ordered an inquiry into a comedy show held here even as police launched a probe following a complaint against filmmaker Karan Johar, actor Arjun Kapoor and Ranveer Singh, among others, for allegedly using “filthy and abusive language” during the event.

But on the other hand, Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister Vinod Tawde has tweeted that no moral policing will be done in this matter.

Mumbai Police also initiated an inquiry following a complaint against Johar, Kapoor and Singh, which alleged that the trio, along with other comedians, had used abusive language during the AIB Knockout, a comedy show, held in December last year at Worli in the city.

According to the written complaint by Akhilesh Tiwari, president of Brahman Ekta Seva Sanstha in Mumbai, filed at Sakinaka police station on Monday, the trio, along with other performers, had allegedly passed abusive and offensive remarks against one another and at the audience present there, police said.

The roast called AIB knockout was the roast Gundey duo Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor with filmmaker Karan Johar as the roastmaster. It was produced by Only Much Louder. The show was attended by 4000 guests and the video of the same uploaded by AIB channel and which went viral.