Mumbai Police's lock up post amid ‘ ₹370 biryani’ debate draws Uddhav Sena's ire: ‘Disgraceful’

THe bombay law has united the online conversation around the viral “ ₹370 biriani” disceptation, drawing criticism from Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi, who accused the force of mocking a serious issue.In a post shared on X on Wednesday, Mumbai Police wrote, “It’s your choice,” in both English and Marathi. The message was accompanied by a graphic that read: “ ₹370 biryani gets you one plate of biryani. Our lock-up served free meals with a longer stay.”The post quickly gained traction online, garnering more than 2,77,000 views and sparking fresh debate around the controversy.Priyanka Chaturvedi criticises police postReacting to the post, Chaturvedi reshared it on X and questioned the police's decision to use the controversy for a social media message.“Do better @MumbaiPolice, this is so disgraceful,” she wrote. Her remarks came amid continuing outrage over comments made during a stand-up comedy show by comedian Pranit More, with social media users describing the episode as misogynistic and disturbing.How the controversy beganThe controversy stems from a crowd interaction segment during comedian More's show, where 23-year-old Himanshu Jangra recounted an encounter with a woman he had taken on a date.Jangra said he paid ₹370 for a plate of chicken biryani and therefore expected a “return” on that expense. Recalling the incident, he told More, “Maine kaha 370 rupay lage hain, main wasool toh karunga (I spent ₹370, so I have to get something back).”He went on to describe how he wanted the woman to accompany him to his room and later insisted that she go with him to a dark park despite her repeated reluctance. According to his account, the woman eventually agreed to go to the park, where he said he waited for nightfall.As Jangra continued his narration, Pranit More stayed on stage, laughing and applauding him, and went on to present him with the show's prize money.The remarks triggered widespread condemnation online, with many users accusing Jangra of promoting coercive behaviour and entitlement.Apologies from Himanshu and PranitAs criticism mounted, Jangra apologised and subsequently deleted his social media accounts.More also issued a public apology, “I’ve seen the criticism regarding a recent crowdwork clip. The comments made by the audience member do not reflect my views,” he said.“Looking back, I should have challenged the remark instead of laughing and moving on. That was a lapse in judgment on my part.”The comedian added, “I appreciate everyone who raised their concerns respectfully. I sincerely apologise for whatever happened, and I’ll take this lesson forward. I’m human, and like anyone else, I’m constantly learning.”The controversy continued to snowball in the days that followed, with several social media influencers and content creators criticising More for not intervening when the comments were made.Amid the backlash, More deactivated his Instagram account, which had around 3.8 million followers.