Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam has strongly criticized stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra for his "objectionable" remarks against Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Alleging that the funding for Kamra's show came from Matoshree—the residence and ancestral home of former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray—Nirupam demanded an apology from the comedian. He also warned that Shiv Sena workers "will not leave him" until he apologizes.
"The venue where this show was recorded and the booking money for it came from Matoshree, from Uddhav Thackeray. That is why Eknath Shinde Sahab has been targeted. Until Kunal Kamra apologizes for his statement, we will not leave him. Our people are searching for him, but we have learned that he is not in Mumbai and has probably fled. We will not stop until he apologizes," Nirupam said while addressing the media. Accusing Kamra of political bias, Nirupam claimed that the comedian is closely associated with Congress and leftist ideologies.
"Kunal Kamra belongs to Rahul Gandhi's and the Congress ecosystem. He is a man of leftist ideology and a close friend of Sanjay Raut. He walked with Rahul Gandhi in the padyatra, his pictures with Sanjay Raut surfaced, and he even met Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule. Now, under the guise of stand-up comedy, he has made a cheap, disrespectful comment about our supreme leader, Eknath Shinde," Nirupam alleged. He further confirmed that an FIR had already been lodged against Kamra at the MIDC police station and warned of consequences if the comedian did not issue an apology.
"An FIR has been registered against him at MIDC police station. But if he does not apologize, the law will take its course—and we will take ours," he stated. "Freedom of expression exists in this country, but it should not be misused. Kunal Kamra has crossed the line. He has used abusive language. This is not satire, not humor, not comedy—this is sheer disrespect. The Shiv Sena will ensure that such people are taught a lesson," he added. The controversy erupted after Kamra allegedly made derogatory remarks about Chief Minister Shinde during a stand-up comedy performance.
Meanwhile, Mumbai Police on Monday arrested 12 people for vandalizing the Habitat Comedy Club in Khar, where Kamra performed his recent YouTube show Naya Bharat. Among those arrested were 11 members of Yuva Sena, the youth wing of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and party leader Rahul Kanal. The suspects were presented before the Bandra Magistrate Court, and further investigations are underway.