Bollywood comedian Kapil Sharma has come under the radar of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) after the use of the term Bombay instead of Mumbai on his Netflix show The Great Indian Kapil Show. MNS spokesperson Ameya Khopkar issued a warning, stating that the usage of the city’s former name could hurt the sentiments of its residents and demanded that the correct name, Mumbai, be used.

The controversy arose during an episode featuring actress Huma Qureshi, her brother Saqib Saleem, and the Shetty sisters. While talking about her bond with Saqib, Qureshi referred to the city as Bombay, explaining that she felt at home with him despite not being originally from the city. This comment drew criticism from the MNS, who have historically been vocal about protecting the identity and pride of Mumbai.

In a post on X, Khopkar stated in Marathi, that even though 30 years have passed since Bombay was officially renamed Mumbai, the term Bombay is still frequently used by celebrity guests on The Kapil Sharma Show, Delhi-based Rajya Sabha MPs, show anchors, and in many Hindi films. He noted that the name change was officially recognized by the Maharashtra government in 1995 and by the Central Government in 1996, preceding similar renamings in other major cities such as Chennai, Bengaluru, and Kolkata.

Khopkar further emphasized the seriousness of the matter during a media interaction in Mumbai. He stated that Sharma had been working in Mumbai for many years and described the city as his land of work. He added that the people of Mumbai admire him and watch his shows, and warned that the city and its residents should not be insulted, cautioning Sharma against repeating the mistake.

He added that if the reference had been made unintentionally, the mistake should be corrected immediately. Khopkar stated that all guests on the show, including celebrities and the host, should be informed in advance to refer to the city as Mumbai. He warned that if this is not followed, the MNS would launch a strong agitation.

The Great Indian Kapil Show has recently been renewed for a third season. Its first two seasons, comprising 13 episodes each, premiered in 2024, featuring a mix of Bollywood celebrities and entertainers. The controversy marks one of the few instances where the city’s political groups have publicly intervened over the naming of Mumbai on popular entertainment platforms.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh on Thursday accused Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha of placing him under house arrest while he was in Srinagar to protest the detention of the party’s sole J&K MLA, Mehraj Malik.

Singh climbed the gate of a government guest house in Srinagar to meet National Conference (NC) chief Farooq Abdullah and later shared visuals of the interaction on social media. He said it was a very sad thing that Abdullah, who has served multiple terms as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, came to meet him at the guest house after learning about his alleged house arrest but was not allowed to do so. Singh further questioned the authorities’ actions, asking whether if this is not dictatorship, then what it is.

Malik, the MLA from Doda Assembly seat, has been detained under the Public Safety Act (PSA) on charges of disturbing public order. This marks the first instance of a sitting lawmaker being booked under the PSA, which allows authorities to detain individuals without charge or trial for up to two years. Singh alleged that Mr. Malik’s detention was retaliation for raising people’s issues in his constituency.

Abdullah also condemned the attempts to stop Singh from holding his protest. In a statement to news agency ANI, he said that preventing Singh from exercising his right to protest was absolutely wrong and accused the Lieutenant Governor Sinha of misusing his powers. He stressed that the right to protest is guaranteed by the Constitution of India, noting that Jammu and Kashmir being a union territory gives the LG significant authority, which, according to him, was being used for the wrong purposes. Abdullah questioned whether it was necessary to prevent Singh from speaking and asserted that this is not an autocracy, there is a constitution here.

Abdullah drew parallels with the recent unrest in Nepal, where protests led to the resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, and cautioned that India must safeguard its Constitution to prevent similar circumstances. He urged the LG to uphold constitutional principles, warning that failure to do so could risk unrest, and emphasized the need to take care of the Constitution before such a fire breaks out in the country.

Other opposition leaders, including AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, also expressed concern over the move, condemning what they described as an infringement on democratic rights.

Social media giant Meta will soon be summoned by India’s Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communication and Information Technology over CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s comments regarding the 2024 Indian general election. Nishikant Dubey, BJP MP and chairman of the panel, stated that Meta would be held accountable for allegedly spreading misinformation.

“Misinformation in a democratic country damages its image. The organization must apologize to the Parliament and the people for this mistake,” Dubey said in a post on X.

Zuckerberg, during a January 10 podcast, referred to the global erosion of trust in governments post-Covid. He claimed that in 2024, major elections worldwide, including India’s, saw incumbents losing power, linking this trend to factors such as inflation, economic policies, and pandemic handling.

The statement was swiftly fact-checked by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who clarified that India’s 2024 general elections reaffirmed public trust in the NDA led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“As the world’s largest democracy, India conducted its 2024 elections with over 640 million voters. People reaffirmed their trust in the NDA under PM Modi’s leadership. Zuckerberg’s claim is factually incorrect,” Vaishnaw posted on X.

He also highlighted Modi’s governance during Covid, emphasizing free food for 800 million citizens, 2.2 billion free vaccines, and economic recovery efforts that positioned India as a fast-growing economy. Vaishnaw expressed disappointment in Meta for allowing such misinformation, urging the platform to prioritize factual reporting.

While the BJP saw a slight dip in seats during the 2024 elections, the NDA comfortably retained power with its allies’ support. This marked Modi’s historic third consecutive term as Prime Minister, making him only the second Indian leader after Jawaharlal Nehru to achieve this milestone.

The controversy surrounding Zuckerberg’s remarks underscores the growing scrutiny of social media platforms in influencing political discourse and the need for accountability in the digital space.