Popular YouTuber and Bigg Boss OTT 2 winner, Elvish Yadav, addressed a controversy surrounding his friendship with comedian Munawar Faruqui in a video posted on his official channel. The video, released Thursday night, showcased Yadav's sincere apology to his followers.
The controversy arose after a photo of Yadav and Faruqui hugging at the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) 2024 went viral, leading to backlash and accusations of being "anti-Hindu" or a "traitor." In response, Yadav took a humble approach, acknowledging the hurt sentiments of his followers and clarifying his stance. In response, Yadav took to his platform to address the criticism and clarify his stance.
In the video, Yadav is seen with folded hands, conveying his apologies to those who felt offended by his actions.
Stressing the importance of his religion, Yadav stated, "Sabse pahel jo bhi mere Hindu bhai hai, unn sabhi ko mere taraf se haath jod ke sorry hai ke aapko bura laga ke maine Munawar ko gale lagaya (Firstly, I would like to apologise to my Hindu brothers with folded hands since you felt bad after I hugged Munawar)."
He further clarified that despite his friendly interaction with Faruqui at the event, he does not consider him as a friend or brother and prioritizes his religion above all else. “You guys said Elvish was wrong. I admit that I was wrong. I can sacrifice thousands of Munawar over my religion. I do not consider him as my friend or brother. I am saying this on camera. For me, my religion is supreme,” he added.
Elvish also said that he has received threats to his life following the match and expressed his desire to resolve the situation definitively.
As of the current moment, Munawar Faruqui has not responded to Elvish Yadav's video. It remains to be seen whether the Bigg Boss 17 winner will choose to address the ongoing situation or opt to overlook it entirely.