'Biggest gaddar in this country is ...': Owaisi backs Kunal Kamra amid Shinde joke row

Asaduddin Owaisi

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi has voiced his support for stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra amid the controversy surrounding his comments about Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, questioning why the remarks were taken personally.

Owaisi also stated that the biggest "gaddar" (traitor) in the country is someone who selectively applies the law.

"Kunal Kamra is a stand-up comedian. He is not a politician. He has no interest in contesting elections. He has not named Eknath Shinde, but Eknath Shinde, his party, and the chief minister of Maharashtra have taken it on a personal level. How can you call him a 'gaddar'?" Owaisi said, speaking to ANI.

"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," he added.

Owaisi also criticised Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, questioning why he had overlooked an incident in his state where someone had previously made derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad.

"Why is CM Fadnavis forgetting that in his state, when Eknath Shinde was the chief minister, one person had talked complete rubbish and 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 asked.

Even, the former ally of Eknath Shinde, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut criticised the controversy over Kunal Kamra’s comments. The leader has called for special protection to be provided to Kunal Kamra following the filing of three additional cases against him at the Khar police station over his controversial remarks. Raut stated that, just as BJP MP Kangana Ranaut was given protection after her dispute with Shiv Sena, Kamra should receive the same treatment.

"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 during a press conference.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sudhir Mungantiwar recently attacked the stand-up comedian over his remarks and said that the police should catch the stand-up comedian and make his life a comedy. "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.