Comedian Kunal Kamra booked over Eknath Shinde remark: What triggered the Shiv Sena backlash?

Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) leaders have accused Kamra of being a "hired comedian" paid by the rival Shiv Sena (UBT) faction led by Uddhav Thackeray. Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske warned that Kamra would be "chased throughout the country" and "forced to flee India."

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday demanded an apology from Kamra for his comments, stating that freedom of speech has its limitations.

"There is freedom to do stand-up comedy, but he cannot speak whatever he wants. The people of Maharashtra have decided who the traitor is. Kunal Kamra should apologise. This will not be tolerated," Fadnavis said. He also slammed Kamra for using the same red Constitution book shown by Rahul Gandhi, claiming that "both of them have not read the Constitution."

Shiv Sena Yuva Sena leader Rahool Kanal, who has been booked with 19 other party members for vandalising the club, has justified the outrage, stating, "We had already warned the owner of the venue, which has had six FIRs against it in the past. We will teach Kamra a lesson, but this is part of a paid conspiracy. The Mumbai Police is capable of exposing it."

Kanal also commented on the FIR registered against him, "This is not about breaking the law but about self-respect. When elders are insulted, we will respond in kind. This is just a trailer; the full picture is yet to come. Whenever Kamra is in Mumbai, he will receive a lesson in Shiv Sena style."

Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC also strongly condemned Kamra’s remarks, calling them "vulgar".

"You call Maharashtra's most popular CM and Deputy CM 'gaddar' and call it comedy? This is not humor but cheap publicity. Kamra is being used as a puppet by the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) faction. Eknath Shinde was once an autorickshaw driver who became CM - this is aspirational, not comedy. Kamra’s tragedy is yet to unfold," Shaina remarked.

Joining them, Maharashtra’s Minister of State for Home Affairs, Yogesh Ramdas Kadam, also acknowledged the constitutional right to free speech but warned against its misuse. "The Constitution allows freedom of speech, but that does not give anyone the right to insult those holding constitutional positions. As for the vandalism, necessary action will be taken."

Sharply retaliating to the incident, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray has condemned the vandalism, calling it a "cowardly act" and an attempt to undermine law and order in Maharashtra. He mocked Shinde’s faction, suggesting their reaction proved the truth of Kamra’s remarks.

Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) MLA Rohit Pawar has also slammed the Shiv Sena’s reaction, drawing parallels to past incidents. "Satirical remarks have always been part of politics. Balasaheb Thackeray embraced them, and Eknath Shinde was his follower. In 2003, similar remarks were made about Chhagan Bhujbal, and his supporters vandalised an office. But Bhujbal took responsibility and resigned. Even Rahul Gandhi, when questioned about a comment on Rajiv Gandhi, dismissed it, saying such remarks do not diminish a leader’s stature."

Pawar also took a swipe at the current political climate, remarking, "Artists must be cautious. This is not the pre-2014 era - Freedom of Expression no longer exists. Leaders should also educate their workers instead of endorsing such reactions."

Congress MP Imran Masood took a dig at the ruling alliance, warning that such actions could damage Maharashtra’s economic prospects. "This atmosphere of intolerance is destroying Maharashtra. It is a leading state in economic progress and investment, but such incidents will drive investors away. The youth of Maharashtra is being forced to migrate, and the state risks falling into decline, much like West Bengal. Investors want peace and stability, but this government cannot tolerate criticism. The opposition’s role is to hold up a mirror to those in power, yet they cannot handle it."

Notably, this is not the first time Kamra has faced legal trouble or backlash for his outspoken views.

Some of his past controversies include:

• Confrontation with Arnab Goswami (2020): Kamra gained national attention when he heckled Republic TV anchor Arnab Goswami on an IndiGo flight. He recorded the incident, where he confronted Goswami about his journalism, calling him a “coward.” Following this, multiple airlines, including IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet, banned Kamra from flying for a few months. The move sparked debates on whether the punishment was excessive.


• Supreme Court comment controversy (2020): Kamra was held in contempt of court for his tweets criticising the Supreme Court after it granted bail to journalist Arnab Goswami in a 2020 case. His tweets targeted the then-Chief Justice of India Sharad Arvind Bobde and accused the apex court of favouring powerful individuals. The Attorney General of India granted consent to initiate contempt proceedings against Kamra, but he refused to apologise, stating that he did not believe he had disrespected the judiciary.


• Dig at PM Modi over handling COVID-19 crisis (2021): During the COVID-19 crisis, Kamra criticised the Centre's handling of the pandemic, particularly over oxygen shortages and vaccine rollout delays. His posts were flagged for allegedly spreading misinformation, but he defended his stance, stating that satire was being misinterpreted as fake news.


• Ban in Gujarat (2022): Kamra faced backlash in Gujarat after his shows were cancelled in Ahmedabad due to protests by BJP supporters. The controversy intensified after Kamra mocked Gujarat’s political climate, suggesting that comedy was no longer safe in the state.


• Ban from X for satirical post (2023): Kamra’s account on microblogging site X was temporarily suspended after he posted a satirical video featuring a child reciting a politically charged poem. The video, which mimicked government propaganda, led to accusations that he was using children for political messaging. The microblogging site later restored his account, but the controversy fueled debates on censorship.


• Ayodhya Ram Mandir remark (2023): Kamra landed in controversy for questioning the fundraising process for the Ayodhya Ram Temple. The comedian was accused of hurting religious sentiments. His shows in Gujarat and other BJP-ruled states were cancelled amid protests.

The Mumbai police are continuing their investigation into both Kamra’s remarks and the vandalism at the show venue. Meanwhile, the political battle between the Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) over the incident is already flaring up gradually.

Meanwhile, in a statement posted on its official Instagram handle, Habitat Studio, the venue where Kamra's show was held and vandalised later by Shiv Sena leaders, announced Monday morning its decision to shut down indefinitely.

"Till we figure out the best way to provide a platform for free expression without putting ourselves and our property in jeopardy, we will remain closed," the statement read.

Kamra is yet to issue a formal statement on the incident and respond to the FIR.