Kunal Kamra - the stand-up comic whose comment about 'gaddar', or 'traitor', has been seen as referring to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, and one-time rebel Shiv Sena leader, Eknath Shinde - received firm support from ex-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday afternoon.
"Kunal Kamra has said what is true... it was not satire. Those who steal are 'gaddar'," Uddhav Thackeray told reporters, "There is no 'freedom of expression' when it comes to traitors."
Mr Thackeray he also distanced 'real' Shiv Sena workers from Sunday night's vandalism of the Mumbai studio - which was demolished today - that hosted Mr Kamra's show.
"Don't blame shiv sainiks for what happened at Khar... sainiks can never do that. The people who are scared thought their leader had been disrespected by a song. But, when people disrespect Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, then that doesn't get such a reaction," he said.
#WATCH | On Kunal Kamra row and vandalism by Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) workers, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray says, "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… pic.twitter.com/MKZAs8N90T
— ANI (@ANI) March 24, 2025
"I want to tell the Chief Minister (Devendra Fadnavis) that justice should be done for everyone... like Nagpur (where there was violence over demands to relocate Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's grave) studio owners should also be compensated," Mr Thackeray continued.
Mr Thackeray's son, Aaditya Thackeray, has also spoken out, and has also slammed Eknath Shinde.
"Why should Kamra apologise (as Mr Fadnavis has demanded)? If this 'traitor' and 'thief' is Eknath Shinde, then he must apologise. But he (Mr Shinde) should first answer why he is a traitor and thief."
#WATCH | Mumbai: Shiv Sena-UBT MLA Aaditya Thackeray says, "...Why should Kunal Kamra apologize? If this traitor and thief is Eknath Shinde, then Kunal Kamra must apologize. But Eknath Shinde should first answer that he is a traitor and a thief."
— ANI (@ANI) March 24, 2025
He further says, "On January 15,… pic.twitter.com/I2xmHIZaSL
Mr Thackeray was Chief Minister when then-undivided Shiv Sena allied with the Congress and the NCP to form the government. This was after the 2019 Assembly election. But three years later rebel Sena lawmakers, led by Mr Shinde broke ranks and joined the BJP, causing that government to fall.
Mr Shinde was then made Chief Minister of the new Sena-BJP government that was later joined by Ajit Pawar's NCP faction, after it broke from party founder Sharad Pawar's side in near-identical fashion.
The split of the Sena led to furious political, electoral, and legal battles - all of which continue to fester till today - and repeated accusations, by Uddhav Thackeray and his loyalists, of Mr Shinde having "betrayed" the legacy of Sena patriarch and founder Balasaheb Thackeray.
Uddhav Thackeray's strong defence of Mr Kamra has not gone unnoticed.
Ex-Congress leader Milind Deora - who jumped from that party to Mr Shinde's Sena in January last year, after which he was made a Rajya Sabha MP - declared Kunal Kamra's comment was clearly mocking "self-made leaders who came from nothing to become chief ministers".
"Uddhav and Aaditya (Thackeray, his son) have no right to talk about law and order."
READ | "No Regrets, Will Apologise Only If...": What Kunal Kamra Told Cops
Meanwhile, Mr Kamra this morning said - according to police sources - he will only apologise for his comment if directed to do so by the courts. He also said he does not regret the 'gaddar' comment.
With input from agencies
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