Kamra booked for remarks against Shinde; Sena workers held for venue attack
Kamra allegedly made insulting remarks while referring to Shinde’s role in splitting Shiv Sena in 2022 and aligning with the Bharatiya Janata Party without naming him
Comedian Kunal Kamra was late on Sunday booked for allegedly making insulting and defamatory remarks about the Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde even as 13 Shiv Sena workers were arrested on Monday for vandalising the venue where the remarks were made in Mumbai.
Senior police inspector Rajiv Chavan said a First Information Report was filed against Kamra under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections including 353(1), which relates to publishing or circulating any statement, false information, rumour, or report likely to incite any class or community of persons to commit any offence, based on Shiv Sena lawmaker Murji Patel’s complaint.
A group of Sena workers on Sunday ransacked the venue of Kamra’s show called Unicontinental – The Habitat at Khar West. Kamra allegedly made the insulting remarks while referring to Shinde’s role in splitting Shiv Sena in 2022 and aligning with the Bharatiya Janata Party without naming him.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray condemned the attack on Kamra’s venue. He said Shinde’s gang of cowards damaged the show stage where Kamra sang a song on Shinde, which was 100%true. “Only a coward would react to a song by someone. Another attempt to undermine the chief minister [Devendra Fadnavis] and home minister by Eknath Shinde,” he said
Maharashtra Aam Aadmi Party chief Preeti Sharma Menon said they support Kamra unequivocally. “Shame at Devendra Fadnavis - Eknath Shinde has just shown that you have zero powers as home minister. You couldn’t keep peace in Nagpur and now you have brought vandalism to Mumbai!,” she wrote on X.
Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC called Kamra’s comments vulgarity under the garb of freedom of expression. “Please understand that Eknath Shinde is a mass leader. He [Kamra] cannot understand aspirations of India where an autorickshaw driver can become chief minister.”
