Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was left laughing after stand-up comedian Harsh Gujral shared a humorous anecdote about crime in the state. The incident took place at an awards function in Lucknow.
During his speech, Gujral recalled a conversation with a banana seller in the city. He said he had asked the vendor whether crime had reduced in Uttar Pradesh.
According to Gujral, the seller replied that he had once been involved in criminal activities but was now selling bananas.
The punchline drew loud laughter from the audience, including CM Yogi, who was present at the event.
In a video shared on his Instagram profile, Harsh Gujral is seen saying, "I want to thank you for this award. More than me, I think my parents are happy today because we, too, are from Kanpur, and our job is to make people laugh and reduce stress."
Watch the video here:
"You carry the responsibility of 30 crore people, and the fact that both young and old admire you shows that you have done something truly remarkable for Uttar Pradesh," he added.
"The progress of Uttar Pradesh is visible even when we perform abroad. People recognise the state instantly. Earlier, people only talked about crime, but today the perception is changing."
Recalling the exchange with the vendor, Gujral said, "I was in Lucknow for a show and casually asked a fruit seller about crime. He said, 'It's completely over.' When I asked how he knew, he said, 'Because I used to be a criminal, and now I'm selling bananas.'"
"Thank you so much for this award. Uttar Pradesh rocks," he concluded.
A video of the moment has since gone viral on social media. In the clip, Gujral can also be seen thanking the organisers after receiving an award at the UP Creators Summit and Awards.
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