Shiv Sena workers ransacked the Mumbai hotel where Kunal Kamra performed.
Kunal Kamra's joke on Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde during a stand-up act has triggered a political slugfest, with Sena workers ransacking the space in the Mumbai hotel where the comedian performed, and threatening him of "dire consequences".
The comedian, during his performance at the 'Unicontinental Mumbai' hotel in Mumbai's Khar, referred to Mr Shinde as a "traitor" and went on to sing a parody on him. He used a modified version of a Hindi song from the movie 'Dil To Pagal Hai' to describe the 2022 rebellion of Mr Shinde against his then boss Uddhav Thackeray, who lost power due to the mass defection of MLAs. Mr Shinde formed a government in alliance with the BJP.
Shortly after Kunal Kamra posted a video of his stand-up act on his social media platforms, a group of Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) workers reached the hotel and ransacked its office. Visuals show a group of party workers - dressed in white clothes and an orange scarf (commonly known as 'fatka') - throwing chairs in the hotel.
Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) leader Sanjay Nirupam today threatened to "thrash" the comedian.
कल करेंगे कुणाल कामरा की धुलाई।
— Sanjay Nirupam (@sanjaynirupam) March 23, 2025
11 बजे।
Naresh Mhaske, the Sena's Lok Sabha MP from Thane, accused Kunal Kamra of taking money from Mr 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," he said.
Shiv Sena spokesperson Krishna Hegde also condemned Mr Kamra's comments. "The comedian will receive 'Shiv Sena treatment,' as none of the Shiv Sainiks have liked his statements," he warned.
Shiv Sena leader Milind Deora wrote on X, "Mocking Eknath Shinde ji-a self-made leader who went from being an auto driver to leading India's second-largest state-reflects classist arrogance. India is rejecting entitled dynasts and their sycophantic ecosystem that falsely claims to stand for meritocracy and democracy."
Mocking @mieknathshinde ji—a self-made leader who rose from driving an auto to leading India's 2nd largest state—reeks of classist arrogance.
— Milind Deora | मिलिंद देवरा (@milinddeora) March 24, 2025
India is rejecting entitled monarchs & their bootlicking ecosystem that pretends to champion meritocracy & democracy.
Mr Deora also told NDTV, "I respect genuine comedians. Balasaheb Thackeray was a famous cartoonist. The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackerary faction) is facing very serious legal troubles right now. This is essentially them using someone moonlighting as a comedian and to distance people from their legal troubles."
He added, "This an example of classic elitism...It is a plan to target a self-made politician."
Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel, who filed an FIR against Mr Kamra at the MIDC police station, said he would show the comedian "his level" and demanded an apology. "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," he said.
The complaint was filed under sections 353(1)(b) (statements conducing to public mischief) and 356(2) (defamation).
A Shiv Sena functionary Rahul Kanal wrote a letter to the Mumbai Police to file an FIR against Mr Kamra. The party leader also sought to file a complaint against Aaditya Thackeray, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and Sanjay Raut for their "alleged involvement in a pre-planned criminal conspiracy and a systematic paid campaign to malign the reputation, image, and goodwill of Eknath Shinde".
According to the complaint, Mr 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," the letter read.
Shiv Sena leader Rahul Kanal has submitted a letter at Khar Police Station, seeking action against comedian Kunal Kamra and others pic.twitter.com/5oFCEKGni5
— IANS (@ians_india) March 23, 2025
On Sunday night, members of Yuva Sena (youth wing of Shiv Sena) staged a protest against the comedian and burnt his photographs outside Wagle Estate Police Station in Thane.
#WATCH | Thane, Maharashtra: Members of Yuva Sena (youth wing of Shiv Sena) staged a protest against comedian Kunal Kamra and even burnt his photographs outside Wagle Estate Police Station, after his remarks against Maharashtra DCM Eknath Shinde in a show yesterday. (23.03)… pic.twitter.com/4l3g9Gu0S0
— ANI (@ANI) March 24, 2025
FIR against Shiv Sena workers, Opposition reacts
A case has been filed against 19 Shiv Sena (Ekanth Shinde faction) workers in Khar for vandalising the hotel where Mr Kamra performed.
Many opposition leaders have slammed the incident and come out in support of the stand-up comic.
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) leader Aaditya Thackeray, in a post on X, questioned the law and order situation in the state.
"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 Chief Minister and Home Minister by Eknath Mindhe," he wrote.
Mindhe's coward gang breaks the comedy show stage where comedian @kunalkamra88 put out a song on eknath mindhe which was 100% true.
— Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) March 23, 2025
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…
Priyanka Chaturvedi, a leader of Uddhav Thackeray's party, told the comedian to "stay strong".
"The man and the gang you exposed will go after you and so will his bikau people, but do understand the residents of the state share this sentiment! And like Voltaire said - I Will Defend to Death Your Right to speak your mind," she said.
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