The Maharashtra legislature's privileges committee has issued a show cause notice to comedian Kunal Kamra for mocking Deputy CM Eknath Shinde in a parody song. The move follows a breach of privilege notice filed in March 2025. An FIR was also registered, but the Bombay High Court has stayed Kamra’s arrest. A probe into the incident continues.
Kunal Kamra. File Pic
The privileges committee of the Maharashtra legislature on Monday decided to issue a show cause notice to stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra for his remarks against Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, an official said on Monday, as per news agency PTI.
The decision to issue a show cause notice to comedian and social media influencer Kunal Kamra was taken by the committee, headed by the BJP MLC Prasad Lad, in a meeting held last week.
Earlier in March 2025, stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra sparked a political controversy in Maharashtra with his performance, where he mocked Shinde's political career. Kamra, while performing a parody of a well-known Hindi song from the film 'Dil Toh Pagal Hai,' labelled Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as a "gaddar (traitor)." His set also included comments on the political developments that were going on at that time in Maharashtra.
However, the controversy escalated on the night of March 23 when Shiv Sena workers, including Eknath Shinde supporters, vandalised and destroyed a well-known comedy club, ‘Habitat Comedy Club,’ in Mumbai’s Khar area. This was the same comedy club where Kunal Kamra’s show was recorded. The party workers who vandalised also targeted a hotel where the club is located, protesting against the comedian’s remarks.
Days after Kunal Kamra mocked the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ekanth Shinde, a breach of privilege notice was moved by BJP MLC Pravin Darekar against Kamra and Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sushma Andhare during the budget session of the state legislature.
The notice moved by the BJP MLC stated that comedian Kunal Kamra's parody song had insulting references aimed at Shinde. Andhare had supported Kamra and used objectionable language, which was contempt of the legislature, it said.
Furthermore, the Legislative Council Chairman Ram Shinde had also forwarded the breach of privilege notice to the committee in June.
Days after Kunal Kamra made remarks on the Deputy Chief Minister, an FIR was also registered at Khar police station for allegedly calling Shinde "gaddar" (traitor). However, soon after some days, a division bench of Justices S Kotwal and S Modak directed the Mumbai police not to arrest Kunal Kamra till further orders.
(With PTI Inputs)
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