Comedian Kunal Kamra has found himself in legal trouble following his reported defamatory comments against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde that evoked mass political responses. The Mumbai police filed an FIR against Kamra and close to 40 Shiv Sena workers for destroying the Habitat Studio, the venue where he performed.

Political Reactions Over Remark of Kunal Kamra

The episode has heightened political tensions, with the ruling Mahayuti coalition condemning Kamra’s reported remarks and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) standing up for his right to free speech.

Related News

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar stressed the need to remain within the letter of the law. “No one should cross the law, constitution, and norms. They should speak within their rights. There can be differences, but it should be noted that there need not be police involvement,” he said.

Shiv Sena youth wing (Shinde faction) General Secretary Rahool Kanal, who is also charged with an FIR for vandalism, accused Kamra’s act as a “paid conspiracy.” Kanal issued a warning to Kamra saying, “The message (for Kunal Kamra) is clear, ‘Abhi tak toh ye trailer hai, picture abhi baki hai.’ Whenever you are in Mumbai, you will get a good lesson in Shiv Sena style.”

BJP’s Allegations Against Kunal Kamra

BJP MLA Ram Kadam associated Kamra’s statement with a broader political plot, alleging that the timing was deliberate to deflect attention from the charges against the Thackeray family in the Disha Salian case. He charged Kamra with acting at the behest of the Thackeray faction.

“Whose contract is he working on? Thackeray faction? Look at the timing. Did Kunal Kamra deliberately choose this time to distract people as soon as Thackeray family’s name appeared in Disha Salian case? That too on the behest of Thackeray faction? What is the reason? It’s time to blacken his face wherever one sees him. Maharashtra Government will take strict action against Kunal Karma, we warn him that he cannot use derogatory language for petty publicity,” Kadam said to ANI.

MVA Stands with Kamra

Conversely, the opposition stood up for Kamra’s freedom of speech, criticizing the vandalism of his venue.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut condemned the attack on Kamra’s studio but stood with the right to satire. “However, I believe that there is freedom of speech. If there is no personal comment, then that should be accepted. If the comment is on any political line of thought, it should be accepted. This is the beauty of our country’s democracy. Kunal Kamra’s office, studio were vandalised, this is hooliganism,” Raut said.

NCP-SCP MLA Rohit Pawar added that comedians no longer have the same freedom that they previously enjoyed before 2014. He remembered how previous leaders, such as Balasaheb Thackeray and Chhagan Bhujbal, dealt with situations in a similar manner with maturity.

“Such satirical remarks were a strength for several tall leaders, like Balasaheb Thackeray. Eknath Shinde is his worker. In 2003, such remarks were made on Chhagan Bhujbal, who is now in Mahayuti. At that time, his workers vandalised an office. Taking responsibility for it, Chhagan Bhujbal had resigned. When Rahul Gandhi was asked about a petty comment on Rajiv Gandhi in a series, he said that Rajiv Gandhi’s significance will not diminish if someone says something like that,” Pawar said.

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari also supported Kamra, reiterating that freedom of expression is guaranteed by the Constitution. “If anybody has insulted someone, then you should investigate the matter. Courts are there to punish them, but this is hooliganism,” he said.

Increasing Tensions and Legal Actions

With the row mounting, everyone is looking to the Maharashtra government to learn how it treats the case against Kamra and the Shiv Sena employees involved in the desecration. As the comedian’s legal woes mount, the larger argument on freedom of speech versus political sentiments continues to polarize public opinion in Maharashtra.

“London me kaali taxi ka meter tez bhaagta hai, Aur yaha pe Archer sahab ka meter bhi tez bhaaga hai (The meter of London’s black taxis, just like the meter of Archer here, has been on the higher side),” Harbhajan said live.

His remark angered cricket enthusiasts, with most demanding his suspension from the IPL 2025 commentary team immediately. Social media was filled with anger, with users criticizing the remark as racially insensitive and unsuitable for live broadcast.

Archer Records Most Costly Bowling Stats in IPL History

Jofra Archer had a forgettable performance in Hyderabad, giving away 76 runs for no wickets. Figures of 0/76 are now the most costly in the history of IPL after his performance surpassed Mohit Sharma’s earlier best of 0/73 for Gujarat Titans against Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024.

Regardless of Archer’s fight, Sunrisers Hyderabad ruled the bat. They tallied their fourth 250-plus score in T20 cricket and became the team to have the most such scores, overtaking India and Surrey. They were short just two runs of equalling their own IPL record for the highest team total. SRH tallied 286/6, falling short of their 287/3 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2024.

Ishan Kishan’s Blazing Century Propels SRH to Victory

Ishan Kishan played a stellar role in SRH’s triumph, smashing his maiden IPL century in just 45 balls. His knock helped SRH secure a 44-run victory over Rajasthan Royals, giving them a strong start to their IPL 2025 campaign.

With mounting pressure on Harbhajan Singh, it remains to be seen whether IPL authorities take any action regarding the controversy.