Not funny: Kunal Kamra refuses to apologise as his 'gaddar' joke riles up Shinde Sena; Uddhav faction hails comedian

Mumbai: Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra’s ‘gaddar’ jibe against Eknath Shinde has snowballed into a major government-vs-opposition slugfest in Maharashtra even as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis asserted that the comedian would have to tender an apology and face legal action.

The 36-year-old Kamra now faces FIRs, threats, investigation of phone records and scanning of financial data.

“A legal action will be taken according to the law, Kunal Kamra should apologise,” Fadnavis said.

Kamra, whose whereabouts are unknown, has reportedly refused to apologise and told the Mumbai police that he would tender an apology if the court asks.

The parody of a popular Bollywood song - “…meri nazar se tum dekho toh gaddar nazar wo aaye…haaye…” - inspired by blockbuster "Dil To Pagal Hai” - has not gone down well among the followers of Shinde, the chief leader of Shiv Sena and Deputy CM.

The parody song refereed to Shinde as a “rickshawallah” from “Thane district” and called him a traitor who had “stolen someone's father," vis-a-vis the rift in the Shiv Sena party in 2022 and claiming the legacy of late Balasaheb Thackeray.

Kamra’s show ‘Naya Bharat’ was recorded in The Habitat in The UniContinental hotel in Khar suburbs of Mumbai - and after it went viral Shiv Sainiks ransacked it on Sunday night.

Announcing the decision to shut down, The Habitat said: “We are shutting down till we figure out the best way to provide a platform for free expression without putting ourselves and our property in jeopardy….We invite all artists, audience and stakeholders to discuss and share their views freely and request your guidance so that we also respect the performers' rights”.

A team of BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation too visited the studio amid allegations that it was illegal.

The BMC squad has removed the illegal alterations and sheds.

The issue rocked the Maharashtra Legislature on Monday with the ruling MahaYuti-NDA demanding action against Kamra.

Speaking in Assembly, Fadnavis said “Urban Naxals" and "Left liberals" supporting such acts will be taught a lesson.

"Kunal Kamra has displayed the same red-colour Constitution book often shown by (Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress leader) Rahul Gandhi. Both of them have not read the Constitution,” Fadnavis told reporters in the Vidhan Bhavan complex at Nariman Point in Mumbai.

“There is freedom to do stand-up comedy, but he cannot speak whatever he wants. The people of Maharashtra have decided who the traitor is. Kunal Kamra should apologize. This will not be tolerated. There is the right to comedy, but if it is being done to defame our Shinde purposely, it is not right,” said Fadnavis, who is also the state Home Minister and Law & Judiciary Minister.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), however has come out in support of Kamra. "I don't think Kunal Kamra said anything wrong. Calling 'gaddar', a 'gaddar' is not an attack on anyone...Hear the full song (from Kunal Kamra's show) and make others hear it too...Shiv Sena has nothing to do with this attack, this has been done by 'gaddar sena'...Those who have 'gaddari' in their blood can never be a Shiv Sainik,” said Thackeray, the former CM, whose Maha Vikas Aghadi was toppled by Shinde.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut alleged that there was "gunda raj" in the state capital and said Fadnavis was incapable of handling the Home department. “The government should recover the damages to the studio from those who vandalised it,” he said.

In a related development, Shiv Sena leader Rahool Kanal and 19 others were arrested for vandalising The Habitat.

“Nobody should go beyond the law, Constitution, and rules. They should express themselves within their rights," Deputy CM Ajit Pawar said.