Daijiworld Media Release
Mumbai, Mar 24: Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra's joke on Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde has ignited a fierce political row, with workers of the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) vandalising a Mumbai hotel where he performed and issuing threats.
During his show at ‘Unicontinental Mumbai’ in Khar, Kamra referred to Shinde as a ‘traitor’ and sang a parody mocking his 2022 rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray. The video of his act went viral, triggering outrage from the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction).
Soon after, Sena workers stormed the hotel, ransacking its premises. Visuals showed them tossing chairs and damaging property. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam warned of physical assault on Kamra, while Thane MP Naresh Mhaske accused the comedian of taking money from Uddhav Thackeray to defame Shinde.
"Kamra is a contract comedian, but he shouldn’t have stepped on a snake’s tail. There will be dire consequences. If we start following him, he will have to leave the country," Mhaske threatened.
Shiv Sena spokesperson Krishna Hegde hinted at aggressive action, stating that Kamra would receive the ‘Shiv Sena treatment.’ Another leader, MLA Murji Patel, filed an FIR and demanded an apology, warning that if Kamra failed to do so, Sena workers would blacken his face and make Mumbai inhospitable for him.
Adding to the controversy, Shiv Sena functionary Rahul Kanal lodged a complaint against Kamra, along with Aaditya Thackeray, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and Sanjay Raut, alleging a ‘pre-planned conspiracy’ to malign Shinde’s image.
Meanwhile, opposition leaders have slammed the attack on Kamra. Aaditya Thackeray ridiculed Shinde’s faction, questioning the state’s law and order situation. “Only an insecure coward would react to a song,” he said.
Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi also backed Kamra, urging him to stay strong against political pressure.
A case has been registered against 19 Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) workers for vandalising the hotel. Protests also erupted in Thane, with Yuva Sena members burning Kamra’s photographs outside a police station.