Kunal Kamra to be issued show cause notice for remarks against Eknath Shinde

The privileges committee of the Maharashtra legislature will issue a show-cause notice to stand-up comic Kunal Kamra within the next two days for his remarks against Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde, MLC Prasad Lad said on Monday.

Besides Kamra, the notice will also be sent to Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushma Andhare.

The decision to issue the show-cause notices was finalised during a meeting of the panel held last week.

BJP MLC Lad, who heads the committee, told PTI that the notice will be issued in two days.

"The draft (of the notice) has been sent to the law and judiciary department for legal opinion. Once finalised, it will be dispatched to both Kamra and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushma Andhare through the police commissioner," he said.

BJP MLC Pravin Darekar had moved a breach of privilege notice against Kamra and Andhare during the state legislature's Budget session.

The notice stated that 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.

Legislative Council Chairman Ram Shinde had forwarded the breach of privilege notice to the committee in June.

During his performance at the Habitat Comedy Club at the Unicontinental hotel in Khar area of Mumbai, Kamra had referred to Shinde as a "traitor" for splitting the Shiv Sena headed by Uddhav Thackeray in 2022.

The parody was a modified version of a Hindi song from the movie ‘Dil Toh Pagal Hai’ to describe his 2022 rebellion against Uddhav.

Stung by the satire, Shiv Sena functionary Rahul Kanal and 11 others ransacked the venue at a Mumbai hotel where Kamra had performed in March this year.

Unfazed by the violence, Kamra refused to apologise and criticised the vandalism of the venue where the comedy show was recorded.

He was booked by the Khar police on a complaint by Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel for allegedly making defamatory remarks against the deputy chief minister.

Kamra had submitted in the Madras High Court that he moved to Tamil Nadu from Mumbai in 2021 and has been "ordinarily a resident of this State since then" and that he feared arrest by Mumbai Police.

The Madras High Court had extended the interim anticipatory bail granted to Kamra till April 17.

He never appeared before the Mumbai Police which had summoned him two times.

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