Kunal Kamra Controversy: Maharashtra council admits breach of privilege notice against comedian

Kunal Kamra Controversy: Maharashtra Legislative Council has admitted a breach of privilege notice against comedian Kunal Kamra him for allegedly insulting deputy chief minister Elnath Shinde, who heads a Shiv Sena faction.

Council chairperson Ram Shinde told news agency PTI that he has accepted the notice against Kamra over the 'traitor' jibe at Shinde and forwarded it to the Privileges Committee.

Breach of privilege refers to instances when any person disregards or undermines the rights and immunities enjoyed by members of parliament or legislature. Admitting the notice would mean Kamra may have to appear before the council.

The Maharashtra Legislative Council or Maharashtra Vidhan Parishad is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of Maharashtra. The lowe house is called Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

Twice summoned by the Mumbai police, the 36-year-old stand-up comic, whose caustic comments on Shinde during his latest show in the metropolis, have landed him in trouble and triggered a huge row.

State tourism minister and Shiv Sena leader Shambhuraj Desai, while talking to reporters, demanded Kamra’s immediate arrest, warning that the patience of party workers should not be tested.

“We have been asked by Shinde to observe restraint, that is why we are quiet. As Shiv Sena workers, we know how to drag him out from wherever he is hiding, but as ministers, we have some restrictions,” Desai said.

What is the Kunal Kamra Controversy?

The Naya Bharat show by Kunal Kamra stirred a political row for its cheeky ‘gaddar’ (traitor) jab at Eknath Shinde. The workers of Shiv Sena (Shinde), the faction of the party that deputy CM heads, allegedly ransacked the Habitat studio at the UniContinental hotel in Mumbai's Khar and demanded police action against Kunal Kamra.

Kamra, without naming Shinde in the 45-minute show, indirectly references Shinde's 2022 rebellion against the then Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray's leadership, along with several MLAs, by moving to Assam's Guwahati and distancing himself from the party—the united Shiv Sena.

“Do not test our patience. Nab him from wherever he is, put him in a tyre and give him ‘prasad,’ Desai told police. ‘Prasad’ which literally means an offering made to God is also used as a euphemism for punishment.

In New Delhi, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw justified the summons issued to the stand-up comedian over his controversial comments.

"If the law of the land requires it, it should be done," the Information and Broadcasting Minister said when asked if summoning of Kamra by the police was "too extreme" an action.

(With PTI inputs)