Kunal Kamra’s call records, transactions to be probed, says Maharashtra minister
Kunal Kamra is at the centre of controversy for his remarks against Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde.
Maharashtra minister of state (MoS) for home Yogesh Kadam on Monday said that the state government will investigate stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra's call records and financial transactions.
Kamra is at the centre of controversy for his remarks against Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde.
The minister said that a probe against Kamra will be conducted to determine if “any mastermind” is behind him.
While performing at the Habitat Studio at the Unicontinental Hotel in Mumbai's Khar area, Kunal Kamra had referred to Shinde as a “traitor”. He also sang from a Hindi movie to describe Shinde's 2022 rebellion against his then-boss, Uddhav Thackeray.
Also Read | What was comedian Kunal Kamra's joke that angered Eknath Shinde faction?
After the video of his show was released on YouTube, several Shiv Sena workers went to the studio where Kamra performed and vandalised it on Sunday night.
The Mumbai Police arrested 11 members of Shiv Sena's youth faction, Yuva Sena, for their involvement in the vandalisation of the Habitat comedy club, the venue of the stand-up gig.
Shiv Sena youth wing (Shinde faction) General Secretary Rahool Kanal, who has an FIR against him over the vandalism, alleged that Kamra's act was a “paid conspiracy.”
Also Read | 'Picture abhi baaki hai', says Sena after ruckus over Kunal Kamra's Shinde joke, MVA condemns ‘hooliganism’
Kanal said the issue was about self-respect and targeting elders. “The message (for Kunal Kamra) is clear, 'Abhi tak toh ye trailer hai, picture abhi baki hai.' Whenever you are in Mumbai, you will get a good lesson in Shiv Sena style,” he said.
Eknath Shinde had split the Shiv Sena in 2022 and pulled down the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. Later the Election Commission of India (ECI) ruled in favour of his faction, giving him Shiv Sena’s official name and election symbol.
What other leaders said
While the ruling Mahayuti alliance partners – the BJP and Shiv Sena – condemned the alleged remarks and sensed a conspiracy, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which is in opposition, defended Kamra's constitutional rights to freedom of speech and expression.
Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said that stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra has insulted Eknath Shinde with his remarks and should apologise for his "low-level comedy".
“We respect freedom of expression, but recklessness will not be tolerated,” he said. The CM added that in 2024, people will decide who is the real Sena leader.
“Kamra should apologise for his low-level comedy. You can have satire but not insult anyone,” he added.
Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar also reacted to the row and said that people should respect legal boundaries.
"I have seen that. Nobody should go beyond the law, Constitution, and rules. They should express themselves within their rights," Pawar told reporters. He said that there might be differences in opinions but that it should not become a point of escalating any issue.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray supported Kamra, saying that it is not wrong to call a “traitor” a "gaddar".
“I don't think Kunal Kamra said anything wrong. Calling 'gaddar', a 'gaddar' is not an attack on anyone...Hear the full song (from Kunal Kamra's show) and make others hear it too," Uddhav Thackeray said.
NCP-SCP MLA Rohit Pawar, this is not the pre-2014 era for comedians to enjoy freedom of expression and urged leaders to impart some wisdom to their party workers.
(Inputs from HT correspondent)
