Mumbai: Rahool Kanal of the Shiv Sena’s Yuva Sena (Shinde faction) on Monday said that stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra would be welcomed in “good Shiv Sena style” whenever he enters Maharashtra. Kanal’s remarks come in the wake of legal proceedings against Kamra over alleged derogatory comments.
Rahool Kanal, who was earlier arrested and granted bail along with 11 other Shiv Sena workers for vandalizing Mumbai’s Habitat studio—where Kamra allegedly made a joke about Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde—urged the comedian to face the legal process in Mumbai.
Kunal Kamra, known for his satirical comedy and outspoken views, has been facing legal trouble following multiple FIRs registered against him in Maharashtra. Seeking protection from arrest, Kamra approached the Madras High Court, which on Friday granted him interim anticipatory bail. The court ordered him to execute a bond to the satisfaction of the judicial magistrate in Vanur, Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu.
Kamra, who moved to Tamil Nadu from Mumbai in 2021, argued that he has been an “ordinary resident” of the state since then and expressed fear of arrest by the Mumbai Police. However, his legal reprieve is temporary, as the Madras High Court’s protection is valid only until April 7.
Reacting to the court’s decision, Rahool Kanal told news agency ANI, “We welcome the court’s order that gives him relief, but it is only until April 7. He should come and face the law… No matter what protection he has there (in Tamil Nadu), whenever he comes to Mumbai, he will be welcomed in a good ‘Shiv Sena style’.”
