Kunal Kamra refuses to apologize for 'traitor' comment on Eknath Shinde, condemns vandalism on venue

Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra has refused to apologise for his controversial "traitor" joke about Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, despite facing intense backlash from political groups and protests by Shiv Sena workers.

In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), Kamra expressed his unwillingness to retract his words, saying, "I will not apologise. I don’t fear this mob, and I will not be hiding under my bed, waiting for this to die down."

The controversy erupted after Kamra made a remark about Shinde's 2022 rebellion against the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

A clip from Kamra’s show, which included the joke, went viral on social media on Sunday, sparking anger among Shiv Sena supporters. This prompted protests and the vandalization of Habitat Club, the venue where the show was recorded.

The police arrested 12 individuals involved in the incident, later granting them bail. A case has also been filed against around 40 Shiv Sena workers for damaging the venue.

In his post, Kamra condemned the attack, clarifying that an entertainment venue like Habitat Club is not responsible for his comedy. "Habitat (or any other venue) is not responsible for my comedy, nor does it have any power or control over what I say or do. Neither does any political party," Kamra wrote.

Addressing calls for an apology, Kamra defended his right to freedom of speech, emphasizing that his right must extend to criticism of powerful public figures. "Our right to freedom of speech and expression is not only to be used to fawn over the powerful and rich," he stated. "It is not against the law to poke fun at our leaders and the circus that is our political system."

While Kamra expressed his willingness to cooperate with the authorities, he questioned whether the law would be applied fairly to those responsible for the violent response. "I am willing to cooperate with the police and courts for any lawful action taken against me. But will the law be fairly and equally deployed against those who believe vandalism is the right response to being offended by a joke?" he asked.

The incident has sparked political reactions, with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis demanding an apology from Kamra, calling the comedian’s joke an insult to Shinde. "Eknath Shinde ji has been insulted, and an attempt has been made to do so. This will not be tolerated," Fadnavis said, adding that no stand-up comedian should have the right to call such a prominent leader a traitor.

State Minister of Home Affairs Yogesh Kadam also announced that authorities would examine Kamra’s call records and bank statements in their investigation into the incident.

On the other hand, Uddhav Thackeray, leader of Shiv Sena (UBT), came to Kamra's defense, asserting that calling a "gaddar" (traitor) a "gaddar" was not an attack on anyone. "I don’t think Kunal Kamra said anything wrong," Thackeray said. "Shiv Sena has nothing to do with this attack—this was carried out by the ‘gaddar sena.’ Those who have ‘gaddari’ in their blood can never be a Shiv Sainik."