‘Kamra Will Receive Shiv Sena Treatment’: Sena Vs Sena Over Shinde Joke; Congress, BJP Debate Freedom Of Speech

Last Updated:March 24, 2025, 10:05 IST

Comedian Kunal Kamra’s jibe at Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde led to political squabbling. Shinde’s faction ransacked a hotel and threatened Kamra. Uddhav’s faction supported Kamra as BJP and Congress debated over freedom of speech.

The political leaders of various parties engaged in political squabbling on Monday morning after Comedian Kunal Kamra took a jibe at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in a stand-up act on Sunday.

Kamra, while performing at the ‘Unicontinental Mumbai’ hotel in Mumbai’s Khar, called Shinde a “traitor” and used a modified version of a Hindi song from the movie ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’ and took a dig at the 2022 rebellion of Shinde against Uddhav Thackeray.

Soon after the performance, the party workers of Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) ransacked the office of the hotel and threatened the comedian with “dire consequences”.

Shiv Sena spokesperson Krishna Hegde said that the party workers are angry with his comments. “The comedian will receive ‘Shiv Sena treatment,’ as none of the Shiv Sainiks have liked his statements,” Hegde warned.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) leader Sanjay Nirupam also threatened the comedian on social media platform X and said that he would be “thrashed” at 11 am today.

The party’s Lok Sabha MP Naresh Mhaske accused Kamra of taking money from Thackeray to target the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister.

“Kamra is a contract comedian. But he should not have stepped on the tail of a snake. Once the fangs are out, there will be dire consequences…We will make sure you cannot move freely throughout the country. We are Shiv Sainiks of the late Balasaheb Thackeray. If we start following you, you will have to leave the country,” Mhaske said.

Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel registered an FIR against Kamra at the MIDC police station. Patel said that Kamra has shown “his level” and demanded an apology from him.

“I want to tell him to apologise to Eknath Shinde within two days otherwise Shiv Sainiks will not let him move about freely in Mumbai. If he is seen anywhere in public, we will paint his face black. We will take up this issue in the assembly and request our state’s home minister to order action against him as soon as possible,” Patel said.

A Shiv Sena functionary Rahul Kanal requested the Mumbai Police to register an FIR against Kamra. In his complaint, Kanal said that Kamra’s statements “hurt public sentiments”.

“While constructive criticism of public figures is always welcomed, such close, demeaning, and defamatory statements go beyond reasonable limits and constitute cognisable criminal offences,” he said in the letter.

Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC said that calling Maharashtra’s Deputy CM “gaddaar is not comedy but vulgarity”.

“This is not comedy but vulgarity. Who is this Kunal Kamra who has been hired and used as a puppet by UBT as a diversionary tactic? Can you go to this level for cheap publicity? Perhaps you do not know that Eknath Shinde was an autorickshaw driver who became a CM. This is aspirational, not comedy. What is going to become of you is a tragedy,” said the leader.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra MoS Home Yogesh Ramdas Kadam said, “Constitution has provided freedom of speech. It doesn’t give you the right to insult those occupying Constitutional positions.” Speaking about the vandalism, he said that “whatever action is required, will be taken.”

However, leaders of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) backed Kamra and raised questions over the state’s law and order situation.

In a post on X, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) leader Aaditya Thackeray said, “Mindhe’s (a term used by the opposition for Mr Shinde – a Marathi word meaning subservient, as a taunt) coward gang breaks the comedy show stage where comedian Kunal Kamra put out a song on Eknath Mindhe which was 100% true. Only an insecure coward would react to a song by someone. Btw law and order in the state? Another attempt to undermine the CM and Home Minister by eknath mindhe.”

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) leader Sanjay Raut also slammed Devendra Fadnavis government and called him a weak leader in the wake of act of vandalism.