Maharashtra govt summons Kamra for insulting ‘traitor’, remains silent on Solapurkar: Uddhav

Speaking to reporters a day after the Budget session of the state legislature ended, Uddhav Thackeray also criticised the BJP over its outreach programme for Muslim families ’Saugat-e-Modi’.

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday said the Maharashtra government summoned comedian Kunal Kamra for insulting a "traitor", but took no action against actor Rahul Solapurkar over his ‘insult’ of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Speaking to reporters a day after the Budget session of the state legislature ended, he also criticised the BJP over its outreach programme for Muslim families ’Saugat-e-Modi’.

"You summon Kunal Kamra twice for insulting a traitor, but do not summon Rahul Solapurkar even once," Thackeray said.

Kamra, whose parody song targeting Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde led to an attack by Shinde supporters on a studio here on Sunday, has been summoned by Mumbai Police. Shiv Sena (UBT) has often used the term ’traitor’ for Shinde, who rebelled against Thackeray and split the party in 2022.

Solapurkar recently came under fire after stating in a podcast that Shivaji Maharaj, the 17th century Maratha warrior king, escaped from Agra Fort by bribing Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb’s officials and not by concealing himself in a basket of sweets as per the popular account. Some right-wing organizations took exception to the term ’bribe’.

Talking about the ‘Saugat-e-Modi' initiative, Thackeray said, "When Shiv Sena received overwhelming support from Muslim voters, a hue and cry was made, saying that I had abandoned Hindutva. They even coined terms like 'Satta-Jihad'. But now, the same people have reversed their position."