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Mumbai witnessed chaos on Sunday after Shiv Sena workers vandalized a hotel in the Khar area. The incident occurred following a stand-up comedy show by Kunal Kamra, where he made a remark referring to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as a ‘gaddar’ (traitor). According to the police, the workers ransacked Hotel Unicontinental, where the show was filmed, and demanded an FIR be filed against Kamra.
Kunal Kamra के स्टूडियो की हालत।
यह है ही इसीलिए लाइक, जैसे करोगे वैसा भरोगे।
गद्दार नहीं बोलना था। गद्दार शब्द बहुत बड़ा होता है। #EknathShinde pic.twitter.com/BCMLGG6uNZAdvertisement · Scroll to continue— Param (@Param_117) March 23, 2025
Shiv Sena Workers Protest at Khar Police Station
After the vandalism, a large number of Shiv Sena workers gathered at Khar Police Station to lodge a formal complaint against Kamra. A police official, cited by the news agency PTI, stated that Shiv Sena members reached the hotel’s auditorium after Kamra’s joke about Shinde gained traction on social media.
The controversy intensified when Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut shared the viral video on X (formerly Twitter), captioning it “Kunal Ka Kamal.” This further escalated tensions, leading to the attack on the hotel.
What Did Kunal Kamra Say?
During his performance, Kamra humorously modified a song from the Bollywood film Dil To Pagal Hai, indirectly mocking Eknath Shinde. His remarks drew laughter from the audience but sparked outrage among Shinde’s supporters.
देश में कटाक्ष करना मना नहीं है ना ही गलत
Kunal Kamra comedian hai bol skata hai bolne do
What about right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a)
राजनीति में अंधे मत हो जाओ बोलने दो
और पार्टी तो छोड़ी ही है ना दलबदल हुआ ही हैpic.twitter.com/vHCVsswXn1— Kartik Vikram (@iamkartikvikram) March 23, 2025
Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske strongly condemned Kamra’s joke, issuing a warning in a video message. He declared that Sena workers would chase Kamra across the country, stating, “You will be forced to flee India.”
Aaditya Thackeray Criticizes the Vandalism
Reacting to the attack on the hotel, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray called it an act of cowardice. In a post on X, he wrote, “Mindhe’s (read Shinde) coward gang breaks the comedy show stage where comedian @kunalkamra88 put out a song on Eknath Mindhe, which was 100 per cent true. Only an insecure coward would react to a song by someone.”
Questions Raised on Law and Order
Thackeray further criticized the state’s handling of the incident, questioning the law and order situation in Maharashtra. “By the way, law and order in the state? Another attempt to undermine the CM and Home Minister by Eknath Mindhe,” he wrote.
Aaditya Thackeray frequently refers to Eknath Shinde as “Mindhe,” a Marathi term meaning subservient, to mock him. The recent incident highlights the ongoing political tensions between the factions of Shiv Sena, with humor and satire becoming focal points of conflict.
