Actor and Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Jaya Bachchan defended Comedian Kunal Kamra for calling Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde Gaddar. She said there is no freedom of speech but full freedom of action and slammed Eknath Shinde. She also condemned the vandalism of The Habitat Studio in Mumbai’s Khar area, where Kamra’s show was shot.
Speaking with journalists outside the parliament she said, “If there is restriction on speaking, what will become if you? You are anyway in a bad situation. There are restrictions on you. You would be told to speak just on this and nothing else, that do not interview Jaya Bachchan. Where is freedom of speech? There is freedom of action only when there is a ruckus - beat up opposition, rape women, murder them. What else?...You (Eknath Shinde) left your real party and formed another party for power. Isn't that an insult of Balasaheb?”
According to the local media report, Kamra has been absconding ever since he published his latest show video on YouTube, in which he commented on Deputy CM Eknath Shinde. After that, Shiv Sena workers protested at several places in Mumbai and vandalised the studio.
A case was also registered against Sena Yuva general sectary Rahool Kanal and 19 others for vandalising the Habitat comedy club in Khar. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also said that action would be taken against the comedian for his alleged remarks.
"The way stand-up comedian (Kunal) Kamra tried to humiliate Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde is wrong. We condemn this. Such things can't be tolerated. Kamra should know that the public made it clear in the 2024 elections who is a traitor and who is not. You have the right to do comedy, satire on us, however, if there is an attempt to deliberately humiliate and defame such big leaders then that will not be tolerated, and action will be taken as per the law," Fadnavis told reporters during the media press conference.