‘Won’t conceal underneath my mattress’: Kunal Kamra refuses to apologise for Eknath Shinde jibe, slams mob that vandalised Habitat
Comic Kunal Kamra is in no temper to cower or apologise. The stand-up comedian issued his first assertion within the ongoing controversy about his jokes on Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Kamra additionally criticised the vandalism of the venue in Mumbai, the place the comedy present was recorded. (Additionally learn: Who’s Kunal Kamra? A have a look at comic’s controversies over time)
The 36-year-old comic has kicked up a serious political storm in Maharashtra for taking a jibe at Shinde’s political profession in his present by modifying the lyrics of a preferred Hindi film tune.
Kunal Kamra will not apologise
On Monday evening, the comedian shared a protracted assertion on his social media, ripping those that had been doxxing him and leaking his private particulars, whereas additionally sustaining that he is not going to apologise for his remarks.
“I can’t apologise… I do not worry this mob & I can’t be hiding underneath my mattress, ready for this to die down,” Kamra wrote and added that his assertion was precisely what “Mr. Ajit Pawar (1st deputy CM) mentioned about Mr. Eknath Shinde (2nd Deputy CM).”
Kamra slams Habitat’s vandalism
On Sunday evening, Shiv Sena members broken the Habitat Comedy Membership in Khar, the place Kamra’s present befell. Kamra referred to as the vandalism of the venue “mindless”, equating it to somebody overturning a lorry carrying tomatoes as a result of they did not just like the butter hen they had been served.
“To the Mob That Determined That Habitat Ought to Not Stand: An leisure venue is merely a platform. An area for all kinds of reveals. Habitat (or every other venue) just isn’t answerable for my comedy, nor does it have any energy or management over what I say or do. Neither does any political social gathering,” Kamra’s assertion additional learn.
Mumbai’s civic physique, Brihanmumbai Municipal Company (BMC), visited the ransacked venue and mentioned that they had razed a short lived construction within the open area of the resort, in line with officers. In his assertion, Kamra criticised the BMC for tearing the place down with out prior discover. The comic quipped that for his subsequent present, he would maybe go for “Elphinstone bridge, or every other construction in Mumbai” in want of speedy demolition.
‘Not towards the legislation to poke enjoyable at leaders’
The comic additionally mentioned his proper to freedom of speech and expression, calling out “politicians threatening to show him a lesson.”
Kamra wrote, “Your incapacity to take a joke on the expense of a strong public determine doesn’t change the character of my proper. So far as I do know, it’s not towards the legislation to poke enjoyable at our leaders and the circus that’s our political system. Nonetheless, I’m keen to cooperate with the police and courts for any lawful motion taken towards me. However will the legislation be pretty and equally deployed towards those that have determined that vandalism is the suitable response to being offended by a joke?”
What’s the controversy about
Throughout his stand-up present, Kamra parodied a preferred Hindi tune from the movie Dil Toh Pagal Hai, apparently referring to Shinde as a “gaddar” (traitor). He additionally made jokes about latest political developments in Maharashtra, together with social gathering splits throughout the Shiv Sena and NCP.
Clips from his comedy present and the political row it sparked dominated headlines on Monday, with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis saying Kamra ought to apologise for his “low-level comedy”, whereas opposition chief Uddhav Thackeray mentioned there was nothing incorrect in what the comic mentioned. Congress and CPI (M) additionally got here out in Kamra’s help.
Police on Monday arrested Shiv Sena functionary Rahul Kanal and 11 others for ransacking the present venue. An area court docket granted them bail the identical day.
(With PTI inputs)
