'I don't fear this mob, won't be hiding under bed': Kunal Kamra refuses to apologise for 'gaddar' remark on Eknath Shinde

Popular stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra has once again found himself embroiled in controversy over his latest jokes. Kunal Kamra recently performed at Mumbai's comedy club The Habitat, where he took a dig at Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and made remarks that sparked backlash.

What did Kunal Kamra say?

During his performance, Kamra commented on Maharashtra's political landscape, particularly the split between the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). He humorously criticised the situation, saying: "Jo inhone Maharashtra ke election me kiya hai... bolna padega... Pehle Shiv Sena BJP se bahar aa gayi, phir Shiv Sena Shiv Sena se bahar aa gayi... NCP NCP se bahar aa gayi... Ek voter ko 9 button de diye... sab confuse ho gaye..."

("What they did in Maharashtra's election... I have to say... First, Shiv Sena broke away from BJP, then Shiv Sena broke away from itself... NCP broke away from NCP... They gave voters nine buttons... everyone got confused...")

Kunal Kamra further referred to Eknath Shinde as a "gaddar" (traitor) without directly naming him. He sang a satirical version of a song from Dil To Pagal Hai, seemingly hinting at Shinde's political journey from Thane to Guwahati.

Though Kamra did not name Shinde, the reference was clear, as Shinde represents Maharashtra's Thane assembly constituency. He also quipped,  "Yeh politics hai inki, parivarvad khatam karna tha, kisi ka baap chura liya" ("This is their politics; they wanted to end family politics but ended up stealing someone's father").

Backlash, Venue Vandalism & Threats

After the video of his performance went viral, Kunal Kamra faced backlash from political leaders. A section of Shiv Sena supporters vandalised The Habitat in Khar West, Mumbai.

Following the incident, Kamra released a lengthy statement on X (formerly Twitter), "I don't fear this mob & I will not be hiding under my bed, waiting for this to die down." 

Condemning the vandalism, he added, "Attacking a venue for a comedian's words is as senseless as overturning a lorry carrying tomatoes because you didn't like the butter chicken you were served."

Kunal Kamra talks about Freedom of speech

Kamra refused to apologize for his remarks, saying, "I will not apologize. What I said is exactly what Ajit Pawar (Maharashtra Deputy CM) said about Eknath Shinde."

Speaking about freedom of speech, he asserted, "Our right to freedom of speech and expression is not just for fawning 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."

Sarcastically, he added, "Perhaps for my next venue, I will opt for Elphinstone Bridge or any other structure in Mumbai that's in need of speedy demolition."

 Latest update on Kunal Kamra 

On March 25, 2025, the Khar Police in Mumbai sent a summons to Kamra's residence, asking him to appear before the investigating officer at 11 AM over his remarks. However, Kamra is currently not in Mumbai, police confirmed.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel filed an FIR against Kamra. In connection with the vandalism at The Habitat, the police detained Shiv Sena deputy leader Rahool Kanal, Vibhag Pramukh Shrikant Sarmalkar, and others.