Kunal Kamra faces FIR over ‘gaddar’ remark as Eknath Shinde Sena workers vandalise hotel

The MIDC police have registered an FIR against comedian Kunal Kamra for allegedly making derogatory remarks about Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde referring to him as a ldquogaddarrdquo traitor during a standup comedy show in Khar West recently The video of the show was uploaded on YouTube on Sunday The performance sparked outrage among Shinde faction supporters who vandalised the Unicontinental hotel where another comedy show was going onComedian Kunal Kamra during his performance on YouTube PicXkunalkamra88Following the incident Khar police registered an FIR against approximately 40 members of the Shiv Sena Shinde faction for vandalising the hotel Twelve of them were arrested but later released on bail on MondayIn a quick turn of events Murji Kanji Patel 52 an MLA from the Shinde faction and a resident of MIDC Andheri East lodged a crossFIR against KamraPolice personnel at the Unicontinental in Khar on Sunday PicAnurag AhireThe lsquoGaddarrsquo actAccording to police officials MLA Murji Patel received a video link on Sunday around 930 pm from a party worker showing Kamrarsquos standup act During the show Kamra took jabs at Maharashtrarsquos political turmoil stating ldquoJudge ke order mai likha hai jo inhone Maharashtra ke election mai kiya hai na bhaisaheb bolna padega Shivsena BJP se bahar aa gai Shivsena Shivsena se bahar aa gai Ek voter ko nine button de diye sabko confuse kar diya hairdquo He then performed a parody of a song from Dil To Pagal Hai changing the lyrics to mock Shindersquos political switch calling him a turncoat and alleging he was more loyal to Devendra Fadnavis than to his own partyPolice actionIn his FIR MLA Patel accused Kamra of using abusive and defamatory language against Shinde A senior officer from MIDC police station stated ldquoWe have registered an FIR under Sections BNS 1531b 3532 and 3562 against comedian Kunal Kamra and have initiated an investigation However he has not been arrested yetrdquoScreengrab of the viral video showing workers of Dy CM Eknath Shindersquos party ransacking studioShinde faction strikesOn Sunday around 930 pm enraged Shinde faction workers stormed the hotel halted a comedy show not of Kunal Kamra evacuated the audience and vandalised the premisesmdashdamaging chairs lights glass doors and abusing the hotel staffShiv Sena Shinde faction leader Rahul Kanal was present at the scene A police officer stated ldquoKanal instructed party workers to vandalise the hotel leading to damages to the reception area furniture and propertyrdquoThe Khar police registered an FIR against Kanal and several others including Kunal Sarmalkar Akshay Panvelkar Govind alias Padi Rahul Turbadkar Vilas Chavri Amin Shaikh Samir Mahapadi Himanshu Shashank Kode Ganesh Rane Shobha Palve Krishna Thakur Pawanjyot Shethi and 1520 unidentified individualsTwelve people including Kanal were arrested and later granted bail with a personal bond of Rs 15000 eachKamrarsquos past controversiesJan 2020 Banned by airlines after confronting TV anchor Arnab Goswami midflightMay 2020 Issued a notice by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights NCPCR for allegedly morphing a minorrsquos photo to mock PM ModiNov 2020 Faced contempt proceedings for showing the middle finger to the then CJISep 2022 Gurugram show cancelled after threats from VHP and Bajrang DalOct 2024 Criticised Olarsquos CEO on social media over the quality of the service provided by OlaTalkRajdeep SardesaisardesairajdeepIn Delhi PM Modi says lsquocriticism is soul of democracyrsquo in Mumbai Shiv Sena Shinde smash up a comedy club after a kunalkamra88 stand up show Will anyone in govt state or centre speak up to defend Kamrarsquos right to free expression Didnrsquot like what the stand up comedian said Donrsquot watchMohammed Zubairzoo_bearDid anyone threaten and vandalise Rahat Indorirsquos office during Emergency period for Criticizing the then Govt Even in Kunal Kamrarsquos video He never named Shinde But Shinde Sena workers be like So you think we are fools we donrsquot know who you were talking aboutPriyanka Chaturvedipriyankac19Kunal Kamra used to crack jokes even on Manmohan Singh ji led government before 2014 but that was never censored but now the coward bullies of Shinde Sena have a problem with the truth and realityShiv AroorShivAroorAttacking Kunal Kamra amp vandalising his show venue especially by a statersquos ruling party is pathetic indefensible amp brainless Free speech shouldnrsquot be negotiable like it is to himRahul PanditarauhulpanditaThe only time you can take umbrage from freedom of speech is if it incites violence Kunal Kamrarsquos act does no such thingSP MP Jaya BachchanlsquoThere is freedom of action only when there is a ruckus You Eknath Shinde left your real party and formed another party for power Isnrsquot that an insult of Balasahebrdquo