Uddhav faction says Kunal Kamra's song on Shinde 100% true; Sena MP threatens to 'thrash' comedian

Kunal Kamra, during his performance at the ‘Unicontinental Mumbai’ hotel in Mumbai's Khar, referred to Shinde as a ‘traitor’.

Following stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra’s alleged joke on Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, the two factions of the Shiv Sena have locked horns with each other.

Sena MP Naresh Mhaske alleged that Kamra has accepted money from former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

"Kamra is a contract comedian. But he should not have stepped on the tail of a snake. Once the fangs are out, there will be dire consequences...We will make sure you cannot move freely throughout the country. We are Shiv Sainiks of the late Balasaheb Thackeray. If we start following you, you will have to leave the country," he told NDTV.

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) leader Aaditya Thackeray questioned the law and order situation in the state.

"Mindhe's (a term used by the opposition for Mr Shinde - a Marathi word meaning subservient, as a taunt) coward gang breaks the comedy show stage where comedian Kunal Kamra put out a song on Eknath Mindhe which was 100% true. Only an insecure coward would react to a song by someone. Btw law and order in the state? Another attempt to undermine the CM and Home Minister by eknath mindhe," he wrote.

Thackeray leader Priyanka Chaturvedi urged the comedian to "stay strong".

“Dear Kunal, Stand strong. The man & the gang you exposed will go after you& so will his bikau people, but do understand the residents of the state share this sentiment! And like Voltaire said~ I Will Defend to Death Your Right to speak your mind,” she wrote on X.

Shiv Sena spokesperson Krishna Hegde condemned Kamra's comments, stating that party workers were angered by his remarks. "The comedian will receive 'Shiv Sena treatment,' as none of the Shiv Sainiks have liked his statements," he warned.

Criticising the comedian, Shiv Sena leader Milind Deora wrote on X, "Mocking Eknath Shinde ji-a self-made leader who went from being an auto driver to leading India's second-largest state-reflects classist arrogance. India is rejecting entitled dynasts and their sycophantic ecosystem that falsely claims to stand for meritocracy and democracy."

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) leader Sanjay Nirupam threatened to "thrash" the comedian at 11 am on Monday.

Kamra, during his performance at the “Unicontinental Mumbai” hotel in Mumbai's Khar, referred to Shinde as a "traitor". He had used a modified version of a Hindi song from the movie “Dil To Pagal Hai”.

The act was an allusion to the 2022 rebellion of Shinde against Uddhav Thackeray, the then Chief Minister and the chief of the undivided Shiv Sena.