Kunal Kamra's Shinde joke sparks Sena outrage; hotel vandalised, FIR filed

Kunal Kamra's jibe at Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde sparked outrage, with Shiv Sena demanding legal action and party members issuing threats against the comedian

Comedian Kunal Kamra’s recent stand-up act, in which he took a swipe at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde over his political switch, has triggered a major controversy. The Shiv Sena responded with threats, protests, and an FIR against Kamra. Following the viral video, party workers vandalised a hotel in Mumbai where the show was filmed.

 

Describing it as a “conspiracy to malign Shinde”, the Shiv Sena lodged a police complaint against Kamra, as well as Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Sanjay Raut and Aaditya Thackeray, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

 

The incident

 

Kamra, during his show Naya Bharat, addressed current political affairs and mocked Shinde for breaking away from the party to align with the BJP.

 

Shiv Sena workers staged protests in Mumbai, setting Kamra’s pictures on fire.

 

Rahul Kanal, a Shiv Sena leader, filed a complaint alleging a “pre-planned criminal conspiracy and a systematic paid campaign” to damage Shinde’s reputation.

 

“The acts committed by Kunal Kamra, including making statements that hurt public sentiments, utter obscene words, and make defamatory insinuations and innuendos targeting Shri Eknath Shinde, are not only offensive but also unlawful,” stated the complaint, urging legal action.

 

Shiv Sena files FIR

 

Shiv Sena MLA Muraji Patel also filed a separate complaint, based on which an FIR was registered against Kamra at the MIDC police station. Patel demanded strict action and insisted that the comedian issue a public apology within two days, warning that failure to do so would result in restrictions on his movement in Mumbai.

 

Patel said, “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.” 

FIR against Shinde Sena's youth group

 

An FIR was lodged on Monday against Shiv Sena Yuva Sena (Shinde faction) General Secretary Rahul Kanal and 19 others for allegedly vandalising the Habitat stand-up comedy venue in Mumbai.  

 

Sub-Inspector Vijay from Khar police station said that members of the Shinde Sena’s youth wing disrupted a live stand-up performance by comedian Rajat Sood. They allegedly forced the show to be halted and damaged the set. The FIR has been filed under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), 2023, including Sections 132, 189(2), 189(3), 190, 191(2), 324(5), 324(6), 223, 351(2), 352, and 333, along with Sections 37(1) and 135 of the Maharashtra Police Act.

 

Hotel vandalised

 

A group of Shiv Sena workers stormed the hotel in Mumbai’s Khar, where Kamra’s stand-up video had been recorded, and vandalised the property.

 

Amid the controversy, senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam remarked, “We will thrash Kunal Kamra tomorrow at 11 o’clock.” Sena MP Naresh Mhaske also issued a warning, stating Kamra would be pursued across the country. “You will be forced to flee India,” he said in a video statement.

 

Leaders back Kamra

 

Leaders from the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction condemned the attack on Kamra and criticised the government. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut called Fadnavis a weak home minister while sharing footage of the vandalism.

 

  Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and MLA Aaditya Thackeray defended the song on Shinde, stating it was “100 per cent true” and that “only an insecure coward would react to a song by someone”.

 

In his post on X, Thackeray said, “Mindhe’s (read Shinde) coward gang breaks the comedy show stage where comedian @kunalkamra88 put out a song on Eknath Mindhe, which was 100 per cent true. Only an insecure coward would react to a song by someone.”

 

Kamra’s 2020 flight incident

 

In January 2020, Kamra made headlines after confronting news anchor Arnab Goswami aboard an IndiGo flight, triggering widespread reactions. As a consequence, IndiGo banned Kamra from flying for six months.

 

Following IndiGo’s action, other airlines such as Air India, SpiceJet, and GoAir also imposed similar bans. These decisions came after then civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri suggested that other airlines take comparable measures.

 

(With agency inputs)