Shiv Sena leaders threaten Kunal Kamra over Shinde joke: 'Classist remarks, won’t let you move freely in India'

Mumbai: Enraged over the joke made by stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra against Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the Shiv Sena said that the comments made were "elitist and classist" and people of India would not tolerate it.  

“The comments were elitist and classist people, who are disguised as comedians, need to be called out. Maharashtra  is very proud that a man who started as a autorickshaw driver rose to become the CM of Maharashtra,” Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha member and former union minister Milind Deora said. 

“Mocking Shinde ji, a self-made leader who rose from driving an auto to leading India’s 2nd largest state—reeks of classist arrogance.  India is rejecting entitled monarchs & their bootlicking ecosystem that pretends to champion meritocracy and democracy,” said Deora. 

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena leader Rahool Kanal said: “This is just a trailer. If anybody says anything derogatory  about our senior leader, our elders then we will not spare them."  

Shiv Sena’s Thane MP Naresh Mhaske, who is a close aide of Shinde, said that Kamra would not be able to move freely in India and would have to move out of India. 

He accused the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) of hiring Kamra to target Shinde.  “He is  a hired comedian, and he is making comments on our leader for some money. Let alone Maharashtra, Kunal Kamra cannot freely go anywhere in India, Shiv Sainiks will show him his place,” he said, adding that Kamra would have to apologise. 

Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel lodged an FIR at MIDC police station against Kamra.

”We have filed an FIR against Kunal Kamra for his comments against our leader and Maharashtra's DCM Eknath Shinde. We have demanded quick action against him. I want to tell him to apologise to Eknath Shinde within two days otherwise Shiv Sainiks will not let him move about freely in Mumbai. If he is seen anywhere in public, we will paint his face black,” he added.