Mumbai, March 24 Maharashtra Congress on Monday slammed the state government after the Shiv Sena activists vandalised the studio after comedian Kunal Kamra referred to Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as a “traitor”.
The state unit chief Harshwardhan Sapkal said that the comedian Kunal Kamra did not take anyone’s name in his show and yet Eknath Shinde’s workers took the criticism personally and resorted to vandalism.
“The attackers belong to a constituent party of the government—do they not trust the government, the Constitution, the law, and the Home Department? Why did they take the law into their own hands? Seeing this hooliganism by Shinde Sena workers, whether the ruling party intends to turn Maharashtra into a Taliban-like state,” the Congress chief said.
Sapkal said that the studio where Kamra’s show took place is not owned by him. “It hosts various cultural programs where people of all ideologies perform. Even BJP leader and minister Ashish Shelar’s felicitation event was held at the same venue,” he said.
He added that the studio belongs to a freedom fighter who remained unmarried until India gained independence and only married afterwards.
“This studio is made available without profit motives, and many artists have performed on its stage. The attack by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s workers on this cultural centre is also an attack on the property of a freedom fighter,” he said.
He added that this issue is not just about freedom of expression but also about how people should live in a democracy.
“The vandalism caused damage worth Rs 25 lakh, which the government should compensate. The police merely acted as spectators during the incident, which is highly concerning,” he said.
Sapkal said that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has stated that the government will recover damages from rioters in Nagpur. “Will the same action be taken against Eknath Shinde and his rioters?” he asked.
He said that the government used a bulldozer on the house of Fahim Khan, an accused in the Nagpur riots.
“Since Minister Nitesh Rane from Fadnavis’ cabinet has made provocative and inflammatory statements, will Fadnavis order a bulldozer on Nitesh Rane’s house as well?” he asked.
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