Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has weighed in on the controversy surrounding stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra’s remarks on Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, urging individuals to stay within the legal framework while exercising their right to speech.
“No one should go beyond the law, as the Constitution rules. Differences of opinion may exist, but adequate care should be taken to ensure that the police department does not have to intervene due to their statements,” Pawar said, addressing the ongoing tensions between Kamra and the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction).
The controversy erupted after Kamra, during his show, tweaked a popular song from Dil To Pagal Hai to take a dig at Shinde, referring to him as a “gaddar” (traitor). The video, which was later shared by Kamra on X, alluded to Shinde’s 2022 rebellion that led to the Shiv Sena split. The remarks triggered an aggressive response from Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) supporters, who vandalized the set of Kamra’s show at the Unicontinental Mumbai hotel in Khar.
Reacting to the incident, Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske accused Kamra of working at the behest of Uddhav Thackeray. “Kamra is a contract comedian. He has taken money to defame Shinde. But he should not have stepped on the tail of a snake. Once the fangs are out, there will be dire consequences,” Mhaske warned, adding that Kamra would not be allowed to move freely in the country.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray backed Kamra, slamming the Shinde faction. “Mindhe’s 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. Btw, what about law and order in the state?” he wrote on X.
Congress leader Milind Deora also joined the debate but criticized Kamra’s remarks, calling them “classist arrogance.” “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,” Deora stated.
