On 21st December last year, comedian Varun Grover posted a poem titled “Kaagaz Nahin Dikhayenge. It loosely translates to “We will not show papers.” He said that he wrote the poem to “resist” CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) and NRC (National Register of Citizens).
Since CAA does not apply to any Indian citizen, it becomes imperative to ask the need for resistance against displaying documents when it is not required in the first place. As for pan-India NRC, it is worth mentioning that the draft has not yet been laid down by the Government.
A public figure must adhere to facts, else it might send out a wrong message to the society. But, this did not deter Grover from being part of the machinery that disseminates misleading claims and baseless assumptions regarding NRC or CAA.
Read: “Hum kagaz nahin dikhayenge, but please bring valid ID proof to attend our concert”
Amusingly, when on 16th January, Grover announced his upcoming tour to the United States on Twitter, netizens were quick to point out his hypocrisy.
A Twitter user argued about the discrepancy in his stance.
https://twitter.com/mani_jain/status/1217737006190432256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Grover has been adamant about not showing his documents to the Indian Government. But, now he has to share his biometric data and identity documents with the US government. Another user wrote Grover’s poem back to him.
https://twitter.com/sabu_jupiter/status/1217726471180972033?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
“Don’t show documents”, he said. As per US government website, one needs to submit passport and other required documents in order to obtain visa to visit the United States. In fact, during the interview process for the visa, ink-free digital fingerprint scans are carried out at embassy. A little too much documentation for someone who said he won’t show his documents to Indian government and even urged others to follow the same.
Grover’s ‘revolutionary poem’ seems to have boomeranged back to him.
Varun Grover also came under the scanner at the peak of the #MeToo movement in India. He was accused anonymously by a college junior of molestation in 2001 at Benaras Hindu University.