Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra is under scrutiny once again after the Mumbai Police issued a second summons in connection with alleged derogatory remarks he made about Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The summons comes after Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel filed a complaint against Kamra for his comments during a recent performance. The 36-year-old comedian is set to appear before the investigating officer at the Khar police station in suburban Mumbai as part of an ongoing defamation investigation. Kamra was initially summoned on Tuesday and has requested a week’s time before appearing before the police.
Kamra’s latest controversy follows a series of political jokes he made about recent developments in Maharashtra, particularly the 2022 Shiv Sena split and the 2023 Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) split. The comedian also made waves with a parody song poking fun at political leaders, including Maharashtra’s ruling figures. However, it was his remarks about Eknath Shinde that led to the defamation case, resulting in the police summons.
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While the Mumbai Police looks into the matter, the incident has sparked a political debate. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for what he perceives as a double standard in their reaction to Kamra’s comedy. Danve pointed out that while the BJP had remained silent about Kamra’s direct jabs at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the party had strongly reacted to a parody song that did not even mention Shinde by name.
Speaking to reporters after the Budget session in the Maharashtra legislative council, Danve remarked, “Kunal Kamra directly criticised Prime Minister Modi in his show, and the BJP took no offence. But the same party was outraged over a parody song that did not even name Shinde. It appears the BJP is using Shinde as a front to target Kamra.”
The growing controversy has drawn attention to the use of political satire and freedom of expression, with Kamra’s supporters arguing that the comedian’s jokes are protected under free speech, while critics claim his remarks cross the line into defamation. The unfolding case raises important questions about the limits of satire and the response of political parties when public figures are targeted.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)
