'How can you call him a gaddar?' Owaisi backs Kunal Kamra amid Shinde row

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi questions Maharashtra government's reaction to Kunal Kamra's remarks, saying the comedian never named Shinde. Owaisi says selective application of law is the real betrayal

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi has come out in support of stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra, questioning why his remarks about Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde were taken personally.   

Speaking to news agency ANI, Owaisi pointed out that Kamra is a comedian, not a politician, and has no interest in contesting elections. “Kunal Kamra has not even named Eknath Shinde, yet Shinde, his party, and the Maharashtra chief minister have taken it personally. How can you call him a ‘gaddar’ [traitor]?” Owaisi asked.   

He further stated that the real ‘traitor’ is someone who applies the law selectively. “The biggest traitor in this country is one who forgets the rule of law. The biggest traitor in this country, or ‘gaddar’ in this country, is the one who applies the law selectively,” Owaisi said.  

 

 

Criticism of Maharashtra govt’s response  

Owaisi also took aim at Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, accusing him of overlooking a previous incident in the state where derogatory remarks were made about Prophet Muhammad. “Why is CM Fadnavis forgetting that in his state, when Eknath Shinde was the chief minister, someone spoke complete lies in a very demeaning way about our Prophet Muhammad? That didn’t hurt CM Fadnavis? That didn’t hurt Eknath Shinde’s ego?” the Hyderabad MP questioned.  

 

Sanjay Raut calls for protection for Kamra  

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut also criticised the controversy surrounding Kamra’s remarks. Expressing concern over multiple cases being filed against the comedian at the Khar police station, Raut demanded that Kamra be given special protection, similar to what BJP MP Kangana Ranaut received after her dispute with Shiv Sena.   

“I demand that the Maharashtra government provide special protection to Kunal Kamra. Kangana Ranaut was also given security with special forces when she had a rift with us,” Raut said at a press conference.  

 

Freedom of speech has its limits, says BJP leader

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sudhir Mungantiwar took a sharp dig at Kamra, arguing that freedom of speech has its limits. “The police should catch him and make his life a comedy. You cannot say anything in the name of freedom of speech... Everybody has the right to self-respect... Ketki Chitale was in jail for 30 days... The opposition has no right to school us,” Mungantiwar told ANI.  

 

What led to the controversy?  

The controversy erupted after Kamra shared a video from his show ‘Naya Bharat’ on March 23, in which he discussed current political events and mocked Shinde for breaking away from Shiv Sena to align with the BJP.   

Kamra’s remarks sparked a strong backlash from workers of the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), who vandalised The Habitat studio in Mumbai, the venue where he had performed. Following the incident, at least 12 members of the Shinde-led faction were arrested, while a case was registered against 40 individuals. However, all those arrested were later released on bail.   

Following the incident, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) carried out a demolition drive at the studio.

 

Kamra refuses to apologise  

Despite the backlash, Kamra remained defiant. He condemned the BMC’s actions while making it clear that he would not apologise for his remarks. “I don’t fear this mob, and I will not be hiding under my bed, waiting for this to die down,” he had said. 

Defending his right to free speech, he asserted, “Our right to freedom of speech and expression is not only to be used to fawn over the powerful and rich, even though today’s media would have us believe otherwise. Your inability to take a joke at the expense of a powerful public figure does not change the nature of my right. As far as I know, it is not against the law to poke fun at our leaders and the circus that is our political system.”  

 

[With agency inputs]