In his latest episode of Patriot Act on Netflix, Hasan Minhaj takes on the quagmire of controversies and complexities that is the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
In trying to break down the 2019 election for a global audience, Minhaj goes through the Pulwama terror attack, the 2G scam, demonetisation, the jobs report controversy, the Assam NRC, mob lynchings, Yogi “a monk with a gun”Adityanath and the song ‘Tum Paas Aaye’ from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Yes, you read that right.
If you can get past the show’s strong NRI lens, Minhaj makes some cogent points punctured with humour.
1. When they couldn’t put up a map of Kashmir while talking about… Kashmir
As Minhaj talked about the tension between India and Pakistan following the Pulwama terror attack, Netflix did not let Patriot Act put up a map of Kashmir on screen out of fear of being sued by our government.
This is what they showed instead.
“Joke’s on you, India. Americans couldn’t even find Kashmir if it were on a map,” said Minhaj.
2. The ‘eco-terrorism’ of Balakot air strike
Minhaj waded into the minefield that is the Balakot strike, referencing the conflicting reports on India’s air strike, with Pakistan saying the Indian Air Force bombs hit trees.
“Pakistan plans to file a complaint with the UN saying that the attack on trees is ‘eco-terrorism’. India was like, ‘We would have hit something if our maps weren’t so blurry. And, just so you know, those trees are terrorists,’” Minhaj joked.
As one user on YouTube commented, “Good luck in witness protection.”
3. Times Now’s infamous ‘Newshour’ debate made an appearance
Minhaj called the cacophony on ‘NewsHour’ “Every desi living room talking about politics.”
4. How he summed up Narendra Modi’s political campaign
5. That viral Rahul-Modi hug
6. On Modi’s press-conferences, or lack thereof
“It’s like posting on Instagram and disabling comments,” Minhaj quipped.
7. On India’s Michael Buble
Pictures speak louder than words👆🏼.
8. On Shashi Tharoor’s accent
Patriot Act couldn’t get anyone from the BJP to appear on the show but Congress MP Shashi Tharoor made a cameo and Minhaj couldn’t get over his accent.
“He sounds like he’s the voice of a wise moose in a Pixar movie.”
9. How he described the RSS ‘manifesto’
This is how wide-ranging the episode was. Minhaj brought up MS Golwalkar’s book Bunch of Thoughts. The former RSS chief’s book is considered a guide for the right-wing organisation.
On the book’s title, Minhaj said, “This doesn’t sound like the manifesto of a radical movement. It sounds like the Medium post you write after a divorce.”
10. And, finally, that cricket comment
Clearly, Minhaj knew he would be remiss not to mention cricket.
“We don’t need the threat of nuclear warfare to flex nationalism. That’s why we have cricket. India-Pakistan match is nuclear warfare.”
Watch the entire episode here.