Shiv Sena workers vandalised a hotel in Mumbai's Khar area on Sunday following a protest against stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra who joked about Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The vandals ransacked Hotel Unicontinental where Kamra's show was shot.
The video of the joke was published on social media, following which the party workers stormed the hotel.
Shiv Sena leader Rahul Kanal also demanded that a case be filed at Khar Police Station against Kunal Kamra, Aditya Thackeray, Sanjay Raut and Rahul Gandhi under appropriate sections of the BNS for insulting Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and continuously attacking him on social media.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) leader Rahul Narain Kanal and over 20 others were booked by Khar Police for ransacking the hotel.
The 'traitor' song
During the show, Kamra, a controversial comedian known for his outspoken stance, modified a version of a Hindi song from 'Dil To Pagal Hai'. Though he took no names, Kamra's lyrics were on lines of "beard on the face, glasses on the eyes, looked like a traitor in my eyes...."
Is this not terrorism? What are Shinde’s Shiv Sena members doing? Dy CM @mieknathshinde’s party workers are openly defying the law, while CM @Dev_Fadnavis shields them.
— MANJUL (@MANJULtoons) March 24, 2025
Not once will the CM declare that they will be dragged out of their ‘graves’ and held accountable or that the… pic.twitter.com/CAOfJbujBy
#Thehabitat was cracked down by local workers of Shiv Sena over some comic done by #Kunalkamra at the Habitat. Freedom of speech gone for a toss. #standupcomedy #india pic.twitter.com/uz6yQPPXk3
— Neelava Chatterjee (@Neelava_03) March 23, 2025
Kamra did not directly take anyone's name but the video went viral on social media, triggering Shiv Sena activists, who believed it was a jibe against Eknath Shinde.
Political slugfest
Shiv Sena Lok Sabha MP Naresh Mhaske openly threatened Kamra, stating he would face dire consequences for "stepping on the tail of a snake." "Once the fangs are out, there will be dire consequences," Mhaske said, adding that he will have to flee the country as "Shiv Sainiks will start following you everywhere".
He also pinned Kamra's act on Uddhav Thackeray, stating that "his party has no other way that they are hiring people to take on Shinde".
The issue soon triggered a political slugfest after Shiv Sena Uddhav faction MP Sanjay Raut called Kamra's song amazing. In a post on X, Raut said, "Kunal Kamra is a well-known writer and stand-up comedian. Kunal composed a parody song on Maharashtra's political scenario, which irked the Shinde gang and then ransacked the studio. Devendraji, you are a weak home minister." Raut tagged the personal X handles of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Raut also shared the video, calling Kamra "amazing." Mhaske also attacked Raut, posting: "Sanjay Raut, if you have the courage, then comment on us."
