<p>Mumbai: The Mumbai police on Monday registered an FIR against stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra for allegedly making defamatory remarks against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during a show, officials said.</p><p>The police also registered a case against nearly 40 Shiv Sena workers for allegedly vandalising the Habitat Studio in Mumbai's Khar area, where Kamra's show with "gaddar" (traitor) jibe at Shinde was filmed, and a hotel where the studio is located, they said.</p><p>Kamra taunted Shinde using a modified version of a Hindi song from the film "Dil To Pagal Hai", eliciting laughter from the audience.</p><p>While leaders of the ruling Maha Yuti termed Kamra a "contract comedian" and warned he would be forced to flee the country, the opposition dubbed the FIR against him as "mockery of law" and said police should specify words which can't be used to criticise the government.</p><p>“Devendra ji, you are a weak Chief Minister,” said Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member and party’s chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut, in a post on X, and tagged Prime Minister Narendra Modi.</p><p>"Fadnavis ji, the Home Minister must be proud of his alliance partner,” Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member Priyanka Chaturvedi.</p>.Free speech during election cuts both ways.<p>Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA and former minister Aaditya Thackeray said that the act undermines the position of Fadnavis.</p><p>“Shinde’s cowardly gang breaks the comedy show stage where comedian Kunal Kamra put out a song on him which was 100% true. Only an insecure coward would react to a song by someone. What about law and order in the state? This is another attempt to undermine the CM and Home Minister by Shinde,” he said.</p><p>Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel said the party workers will not allow Kamra to move on streets if he doesn't apologise to Shinde in two days.</p><p>State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, who visited the Khar police station, said the studio where the programme was shot was illegal.</p><p>"We will not tolerate mocking of our leader. Police and civic authorities should take action against them. I came to the police station to check on police action on our workers," the Shiv Sena leader added.</p><p>Sena MP Naresh Mhaske warned Kamra that he would no longer be allowed to roam freely in Maharashtra and would be chased by the party workers throughout the country.</p><p>"You will be forced to flee India," he said in a message.</p><p>Calling Kamra a "contract comedian", Mhaske said he should not have stepped on the "tail of a snake".</p><p>"Once the fangs are out, there will be dire consequences," he said.</p><p><em>(With inputs from PTI)</em></p>
<p>Mumbai: The Mumbai police on Monday registered an FIR against stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra for allegedly making defamatory remarks against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during a show, officials said.</p><p>The police also registered a case against nearly 40 Shiv Sena workers for allegedly vandalising the Habitat Studio in Mumbai's Khar area, where Kamra's show with "gaddar" (traitor) jibe at Shinde was filmed, and a hotel where the studio is located, they said.</p><p>Kamra taunted Shinde using a modified version of a Hindi song from the film "Dil To Pagal Hai", eliciting laughter from the audience.</p><p>While leaders of the ruling Maha Yuti termed Kamra a "contract comedian" and warned he would be forced to flee the country, the opposition dubbed the FIR against him as "mockery of law" and said police should specify words which can't be used to criticise the government.</p><p>“Devendra ji, you are a weak Chief Minister,” said Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member and party’s chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut, in a post on X, and tagged Prime Minister Narendra Modi.</p><p>"Fadnavis ji, the Home Minister must be proud of his alliance partner,” Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member Priyanka Chaturvedi.</p>.Free speech during election cuts both ways.<p>Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA and former minister Aaditya Thackeray said that the act undermines the position of Fadnavis.</p><p>“Shinde’s cowardly gang breaks the comedy show stage where comedian Kunal Kamra put out a song on him which was 100% true. Only an insecure coward would react to a song by someone. What about law and order in the state? This is another attempt to undermine the CM and Home Minister by Shinde,” he said.</p><p>Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel said the party workers will not allow Kamra to move on streets if he doesn't apologise to Shinde in two days.</p><p>State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, who visited the Khar police station, said the studio where the programme was shot was illegal.</p><p>"We will not tolerate mocking of our leader. Police and civic authorities should take action against them. I came to the police station to check on police action on our workers," the Shiv Sena leader added.</p><p>Sena MP Naresh Mhaske warned Kamra that he would no longer be allowed to roam freely in Maharashtra and would be chased by the party workers throughout the country.</p><p>"You will be forced to flee India," he said in a message.</p><p>Calling Kamra a "contract comedian", Mhaske said he should not have stepped on the "tail of a snake".</p><p>"Once the fangs are out, there will be dire consequences," he said.</p><p><em>(With inputs from PTI)</em></p>
