Kamra has been served with a breach of privilege notice over his satirical song, in which he has called Eknath Shinde gaddar (traitor). “Kamra’s song was parody, not sacrilege.MUM
Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday extended his support to stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra, who has refused to apologise to the privilege committee of the Maharashtra legislature over his remarks on Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
Kamra has been served with a breach of privilege notice over his satirical song, in which he has called Eknath Shinde gaddar (traitor). “Kamra’s song was parody, not sacrilege. He is a stand-up comedian who writes good scripts, songs and satires. He performed ‘vidambana’ (parody), not ‘vitambana’ (sacrilege),” Raut said.
The Rajya Sabha MP further said Kamra composed a parody song similar to those by the prominent poet, writer and journalist Pralhad Keshav Atre, popularly known as Acharya Atre.
Raut’s remarks came a day after Kamra, appearing before the Maharashtra legislature on Thursday, stated that he did not feel any remorse over his remarks targeting Eknath Shinde, nor would he tender an apology.
In a written reply submitted to the committee, Kamra said that for a performance to be qualified for breach of privilege, it should either relate to the conduct of the member in his capacity as a member of the House, or must be based upon the actual transaction of the business of the House, or must cause an actual impediment to the functioning of the House.
The case pertains to the performance last year at the Habitat Comedy Club, where Kamra referred to Shinde as a ‘traitor’ for his 2022 rebellion that split the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray.
The remark, delivered through a parody of a song from the film Dil Toh Pagal Hai, triggered outrage among Shinde’s supporters. Shiv Sena functionary Rahul Kanal and others later vandalised the venue.
Shinde rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray in June 2022, leading to a split in the Shiv Sena and the collapse of the then Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
