Why just Narendra Modi? Every neta needs a snapchat filter

Offending people is part of Newslaundry’s vision statement. Actually, no, our vision is mostly about keeping news free from corporate and government control for which you have to Pay To Keep News Free. But it is true that we do offend people and are pretty equal opportunity about it.

Early today, a little piece of news flashed on our Twitter timeline that had Tanmay Bhat, FIR, Snapchat and dog filter all in one sentence. And it wasn’t even about a comedy sketch by All India Bakchod.

Bhat had offended many sensibilities and the Mumbai Police had decided it would not take this lying down. This should not surprise anyone. From the dark ages to circa filing of this story, heads have always rolled when it comes to such things, perhaps that is in the nature of heads — my head, your head or the head of state. The jester’s back alley whisper about the mighty king, a prose, a verse standing on a soap box in the garden square, Picasso’s Guernica, Banksy’s graffiti to Pussy Riot’s imprisonment. Except, in this case, it was just a Snapchat filter. Like seriously, no great work of art was involved here to have caused such great offence. Just plain old dog ears.

But then how dare Bhat put a dog filter on our supreme leader. What about 1984? Did he ever dare put a rabbit filter on Sonia Gandhi? What about Manmohan Singh? What about him? All valid questions and if Bhat would have thought about them, he wouldn’t have gotten himself in such a soup. Here’s how you do it. We were serious when we said we are equal opportunity offenders. If we missed a politician, feel free to make additions in the comments.