Kunal Kamra stokes fresh row with T-shirt photo targeting RSS; BJP fumes, warns of action

Mumbai: Comedian Kunal Kamra kicked up a fresh controversy after he shared a photo on social media wearing a T-shirt that allegedly mocked the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), inviting strong reaction from the BJP which on Tuesday warned of police action.

Maharashtra minister and senior BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule cautioned that police would take action against those posting "objectionable" content online.

"The police would take action against anyone who puts out such objectionable posts," Bawankule said, reacting to Kamra's social media post on Monday that featured a T-shirt with a dog image alongside a reference to the RSS, the BJP's ideological mentor.

Shiv Sena cabinet minister Sanjay Shirsat, whose party is a BJP ally, insisted the national saffron outfit must respond strongly to the comedian's controversial post, pointing out Kamra in the past made vitriolic remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde.

"Earlier, he targeted Prime Minister Modi and Eknath Shinde, and now he has dared to directly attack the RSS. The BJP needs to respond to this," Shirsat opined.

"We (Shiv Sena) responded to it (to Kamra's critical comments on Shinde earlier this year). Now, he has mustered the courage to make an objectionable post against the RSS," said the minister.

In March, Kamra courted controversy when he made critical comments against Shinde, who heads the Shiv Sena. The 36-year-old comedian had then taken a jibe at Shinde’s political career in his show by modifying the lyrics of a popular Hindi movie song.

Angry over the remarks, Shiv Sena members later damaged the Habitat Comedy Club in Mumbai's Khar as well as a hotel in whose premises the club is located as Kamra’s show took place there.

After the latest controversy, a defiant Kamra posted on social media that the photograph carrying the RSS reference was not "clicked at a comedy club".

BJP leaders have taken strong exception to the post, calling it insulting and provocative.