NEW DELHI: Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske on Sunday issued a stern warning to stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra after he took a jibe at Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde during a Mumbai comedy show.
Subsequently, Shiv Sena members damaged the Habitat Comedy Club in Khar where the performance took place.
What did Kunal Kamra say?
During his performance at the Habitat Comedy Club in Mumbai, Kamra addressed the political division in Maharashtra. A viral video on X showed Kamra’s subtle dig at Shinde’s rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray and the ensuing political developments.
“Shiv Sena first came out of the BJP, then Shiv Sena came out of Shiv Sena. NCP came out of NCP, they gave nine buttons to one voter…everyone got confused,” Kamra said.
Kamra also sang a parody song with reference to Thane—Shinde’s political bastion—labeling him a “gaddar” (traitor) without naming him.
The video, uploaded by Kamra, went viral in no time, garnering over 360,000 views.
What did Naresh Mhaske say?
Sena MP Naresh Mhaske from the Shinde group accused Kamra of being a paid performer hired by Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) to criticise Eknath Shinde.
“Kunal Kamra is a hired comedian, and he is making comments on our leader for some money. Let alone Maharashtra, Kunal Kamra cannot freely go anywhere in India, Shiv Sainiks will show him his place. We feel sorry for Sanjay Raut and Shiv Sena (UBT) that they have no party workers or leaders left to make comments on our leader, which is why they are hiring people like him (Kunal Kamra) for the job”, Naresh Mhaske told ANI on Sunday.
“We follow the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray, and we will make sure Kunal Kamra is not free to move around- neither in Maharashtra nor in the country. Kunal Kamra will get a befitting reply, and he will come and apologise for his mistake”, he added.
Shiv Sena workers vandalize comedy venue
Hours after the video came up, Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) workers vandalized the Habitat Comedy Club in Khar, where Kamra’s show was recorded. Reports suggest that the workers smashed property and warned of further action if Kamra continued his criticism.
Local police verified the incident and are probing the vandalism, but no formal complaints have been registered by the comedy club as yet.
Political leaders’ reactions
Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena UBT MP, publicly backed Kamra by sharing the comedian’s video and wrote, “Kunal ki kamal, Jai Maharashtra,” on X.
Priyanka Chaturvedi, Shiv Sena UBT MP, also supported Kamra, referencing Voltaire in her defense of free speech. “Dear Kunal, stand strong. The man and the gang you exposed will go after you… I will defend to death your right to speak your mind,” she posted on X.
Shiv Sena, Shinde faction, also responded. Mhaske doubled down on his position, saying that Kamra would receive a “befitting reply” and would eventually apologize for his remarks. “We follow Balasaheb Thackeray’s ideology, and Kunal Kamra will not be allowed to move freely—whether in Maharashtra or across India,” he asserted.
