"Action Against Me Illegal, This Is Legal": Kangana Ranaut Amid Kunal Kamra Row

BJP MP and actor Kangana Ranaut has slammed Kunal Kamra's jokes targeting Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde and said it was not okay to disrespect someone for his humble background. The actor, who was at the receiving end of bulldozer action during the Uddhav Thackeray regime, has said the move against her was "illegal", but the action being taken against the comic is "legal".

The BJP MP's remarks come amid a massive row over Shiv Sena workers vandalising a Mumbai studio to protest Kunal Kamra's parody targeting Mr Shinde, now the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister. The vandalism has been followed by a demolition exercise at the Khar studio, with civic officials citing building law violations. The timing of the civic action has raised questions, stoking a debate on freedom of speech and its limits.

Speaking to the media outside Parliament, Ms Ranaut said she does not want to connect what happened to her with what's happening now. "That was illegal, this is illegal. You can be anyone, but insulting someone is (wrong). A man for whom respect is everything, you are insulting him in the name of comedy. You are disregarding his work. Shindeji used to ply an auto-rikshaw at some point. Now he has risen so much," she said.

Slamming Kamra, the actor said, "What are his credentials? Who are these people who could not achieve anything in life? Abusing in the name of comedy, mocking our religious texts and joking about our mothers and sisters. They call themselves influencers and do this for two minutes of fame. Where is our society headed?"

She said Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has rightly said that people need to take responsibility for their actions and speech. "So, do not link that episode with this. That was illegal, this action is legal," she said.

Kangana Ranaut vs Shiv Sena In 2020

In September 2020, a part of Kangana Ranaut's office in Mumbai's Pali Hill was demolished by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation on the grounds of encroachment. The timing of the civic action, however, raised questions. At the time, the Uddhav Thackeray government was in power in Maharashtra and also controlled the Mumbai civic body. The action against Kangana followed a bitter spat between her and Shiv Sena leaders in the aftermath of actor Sushant Singh Rajput's shocking death. She also compared Mumbai to Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, alleging poor law and order situation in the city. At the time, she was not a BJP member and the Sena had not been split. 

The actor had moved the court against the demolition and scored a big win there. The Bombay High Court had paused the demolition exercise and questioned the motives behind the BMC's action.

Amid the massive row surrounding the cases and police action against Kunal Kamra, and the Opposition's support for the comic, a section has cited Kangana Ranaut's example. They have also called out the Uddhav Thackeray-led party on its support for Kunal Kamra and accused it of hypocrisy.