The Madras High Court on Friday granted interim anticipatory bail to comedian Kunal Kamra, who has stirred a controversy with his jibe at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The High Court granted Kamra relief on the condition that he should execute a bond to the satisfaction of the judicial magistrate at Vanur in Villupuram district in Tamil Nadu. Justice Sunder Mohan also issued notice to 2nd Respondent (Khar Police) and posted the matter to April 7.
Popular stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra approached the Madras High Court on Friday seeking protection from arrest. He is a resident of Villupuram town in Tamil Nadu which comes under the jurisdiction of Madras High Court and hence he had filed the petition there. The petition mentions that Kamra had shifted 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, which has summoned him twice. Kamra’s counsel has also mentioned that the comedian has been receiving death threats after the controversial performance.
Meanwhile, Mumbai Police has summoned him at Khar Police Station on March 31. A Zero FIR was lodged against Kamra under Sections 353(1)(b), 353(2) [Public mischief] and 356(2) [Defamation] BNS by Shiv Sena MLA Muraji Patel. The FIR was later transferred to Khar police station in Mumbai.
Kamra’s “traitor” jibe at Eknath Shinde
Kamra, known for his satirical style of comedy, was performing at a stand-up show at the Unicontinental Hotel in Mumbai’s Khar area, where he mocked Shinde’s defection from the Shiv Sena and his alliance with the BJP by allegedly calling him a “gaddar” (traitor) in an indirect manner. The jokes, which included a parody of a song from the Bollywood movie “Dil To Pagal Hai”, were aimed at Shinde, even though Kamra did not mention him by name. His performance quickly gained attention on social media, following which it triggered a series of protests and even violence.
Kunal Kamra refuses to apologise
Refusing to apologise for his act, the comedian issued a statement on social media where he wrote, “I will not apologise. What I said is exactly what Mr. Ajit Pawar (1st Deputy CM) said about Mr. Eknath Shinde (2nd Deputy CM). I don’t fear this mob and I will not be hiding under my bed, waiting for this to die down.”
Taking a jibe at Indian media for reporting about the controversy, he further wrote, “To the media faithfully reporting this circus: Remember that press freedom in India ranks at 159.”
Highlighting the importance of freedom of speech in India, Kunal Kamra further mentioned in his statement, “Our right to freedom of speech and expression is not only to be used to fawn over the powerful and rich even though today’s media would have us believe otherwise. Your inability to take a joke at the expense of a powerful public figure does not change the nature of my right. As far as I know, it is not against the law to poke fun at our leaders and the circus that is our political system.”
