NEW DELHI: Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske on Sunday served a stern warning to stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra following the latter’s alleged attack on Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during a comedy show in Mumbai. The issue has already invited political reactions, social media outrage, and even vandalism by Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) activists.
What did Kunal Kamra say?
At a stand-up comedy show at the Habitat Comedy Club in Mumbai, Kamra took a dig at the political split in Maharashtra. In a video clip shared on X (formerly Twitter), Kamra subtly criticized Shinde’s rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray and the resultant political intrigue.
“Shiv Sena first came out of the BJP, then Shiv Sena came out of Shiv Sena. NCP came out of NCP, they gave nine buttons to one voter…everyone got confused,” Kamra said.
Kamra also sang a parody song with reference to Thane—Shinde’s political bastion—labeling him a “gaddar” (traitor) without naming him.
The video, uploaded by Kamra, went viral in no time, garnering 360,000 views till the time of publication.
What did Naresh Mhaske say?
Sena MP Naresh Mhaske from the Shinde group in a 59-second video message attacked Kamra, saying he was a “hired comedian” paid by the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) to troll Eknath Shinde.
“Kunal Kamra, we will make sure that you cannot roam in India, not just Maharashtra,” Mhaske warned.
“You are taking money from Sanjay Raut to defame Deputy CM Shinde—we know that. If we go after you, you will have to leave India,” he claimed.
Mhaske also referred to Balasaheb Thackeray, saying that the faction led by Shinde is loyal to his ideology. He said the Uddhav faction does not have grassroots support, and now they depend on comedians to launch attacks on political opponents.
“We feel sorry for Sanjay Raut and Shiv Sena (UBT) that they have no workers or leaders left to comment on Eknath Shinde, which is why they are hiring people like Kunal Kamra,” he added.
Shiv Sena workers vandalize comedy venue
Hours after the video came up, Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) workers vandalized the Habitat Comedy Club in Khar, where Kamra’s show was recorded. Reports suggest that the workers smashed property and warned of further action if Kamra continued his criticism.
Local police verified the incident and are probing the vandalism, but no formal complaints have been registered by the comedy club as yet.
Political leaders’ reactions
Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena UBT MP, publicly backed Kamra by sharing the comedian’s video and wrote, “Kunal ki kamal, Jai Maharashtra,” on X.
Priyanka Chaturvedi, Shiv Sena UBT MP, also supported Kamra, referencing Voltaire in her defense of free speech. “Dear Kunal, stand strong. The man and the gang you exposed will go after you… I will defend to death your right to speak your mind,” she posted on X.
Shiv Sena, Shinde faction, also responded. Mhaske doubled down on his position, saying that Kamra would receive a “befitting reply” and would eventually apologize for his remarks. “We follow Balasaheb Thackeray’s ideology, and Kunal Kamra will not be allowed to move freely—whether in Maharashtra or across India,” he asserted.