olice

Mumbai Police summon Kunal Kamra again, comedian hits back at BJP & T-Series

 

Controversial stand-up comedian Kunal Hamra was summoned for the second time by Mumbai police for his parody song allegedly insulting Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as ‘traitor’. The new summons, after Kamra requested more time to appear, has heated up the controversy, eliciting sharp political responses and reopening the free speech debate in India.

 

Legal Trouble for Kamra

 

Kamra, who is renowned for his acerbic political satire, was initially called on Tuesday concerning a case by Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel. It involved a recent show where he made a dig at Maharashtra’s political scenario, including Shinde’s rebellion in 2022 that saw the fall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. 

The police have also booked Kamra on charges of alleged defamation and making derogatory comments, based on the parody song he sang at The Habitat Comedy Club in Mumbai. Kamra’s lawyer had requested a week’s time for his client to reply, after which the police issued a new notice. Officials also said that they are checking Kamra’s previous performances to determine if additional legal action can be initiated.

 

 

Political Backlash and BJP’s Chosen Course

 

The case has acquired a political colour, with the opposition terming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as hypocritical in dealing with Kamra’s sarcasm. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve attacked the BJP for keeping mum when Kamra outright ridiculed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but overreacting to a parody song that did not even name Shinde.

“Kunal Kamra openly targeted Modi in his show, and the BJP did not take offense. But when a parody song that does not even mention Shinde, they moved fast. That indicates that BJP is employing Shinde as a front to stifle criticism,” Danve said during the Maharashtra Budget session.

 

Shinde: ‘Action Causes Reaction’

 

Breaking his silence on the issue, Shinde defended the party workers, who vandalised The Habitat Club in protest against Kamra’s act “Freedom of speech is there. We understand satire. But there should be a limit. This is like taking ‘supari’ (contract) to speak against someone,” Shilde said at the BBC Marathi event, hinting that Kamra was deliberately targeting political figures for attention.

His comment was made a day after Shiv Sena workers vandalised the comedy club at the nearby hotel in Khar, prompting police action. Police took into custody 12 Shiv Sainiks, including local leader Rahul Kanal, for vandalism, but they were released on bail on the same day. The police have now booked 40 party workers for the incident.

 

Comedians and Free Speech Debate

 

Kamra’s case has brought back into the spotlight the controversy of India’s free speech limits, particularly with respect to political satire. Kamra has had several legal run-ins over the years, such as contempt of court charges for his comments on the judiciary and airline bans for his encounter with journalist Arnab Goswami.

In response to the backlash, Kamra shared a social media video taunting Shiv Sena workers over the violent outburst. “What is more insulting, a joke or a thug mob?” he joked, raising an eyebrow at the excessive response to his joke. 

 

 

Meanwhile, several comedians and public figures have come out in support of Kamra, arguing that his satire should be protected under free speech. “If politicians cannot handle joke, may be they are in the wrong profession,” comedian Varun Grover tweeted.

 

T-Series Copyright Claim and Kamra's Response

 

In the midst of his ongoing legal woes, Kamra has now accused music giant T-Series of targeting his content unfairly. In a tweet, the comedian took a jab at the company, saying, "Hello @TSeries, stop being a stooge. Parody & satire fall under fair use legally. I haven't used the lyrics or the original instrumental of the song. If you take this video down, every cover song/dance video can be taken down. Creators, please take note of it."

 

 

Kamra went on to state that Indian monopolies work similar to mafias, compelling users to view and download his special before it was removed. He also added that he happens to be in Tamil Nadu currently, perhaps pointing toward jurisdictional issues in the lawsuit.

 

What Lies Ahead

 

With the second summons being sent out, Kamra will be produced before Mumbai Police shortly. With the political uncertainty and ongoing inquiry into performances in the past, though, this could be just the start of a lot more legal difficulties for him to face. With Maharashtra politics in air, Kamra’s case is now no longer about a comedian and his jokes, it is now a tinderbox in a wider struggle between political power and freedom of speech in India.