Kamra row: Saamana cites PM‘s take on criticism to question vandalism by Shinde supporters

Citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comment that "criticism is the soul of democracy", the Shiv Sena (UBT) on Wednesday questioned the "extreme response" provoked by activist-comedian Kunal Kamra's 'traitor' jibe apparently targeting Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde.

An editorial in the Sena (UBT) mouthpiece Saamana said Kamra's parody song (on his YouTube video titled Naya Bharat shot at the Habitat studio set in a Mumbai hotel) had merely pointed to the rebellion led by Shinde against Uddhav Thackeray's leadership in 2022, and that it was "old wine in a new bottle", yet the deputy CM's supporters vandalised the studio on Sunday.

Notably, Shinde's rebellion led to a split in the Shiv Sena and collapse of the Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the state in 2022. Shinde then joined hands with the BJP and formed a government, with him as chief minister, a prerequisite of the 'deal'.

The editorial in Saamana said 40 MLAs in Maharashtra had defected, leading to the formation of an "extra-constitutional" government. The episode was widely publicised, culminating in a legal battle in the Supreme Court, it pointed out.

"Slogans about khoke (Mumbai slang for a crore of rupees) echoed across the state. Kunal Kamra merely rehashed this in a parody song, so what was new? It was old wine in a new bottle," the Marathi publication said. Yet, Shinde's supporters got so agitated that they stormed the studio, it said.

It has also been reported that Kamra has been receiving death threats one after another, as per sources close to the comedian, who claim that Kamra has received at least '500 threatening calls', many of them threatening to 'tear him to pieces', or 'beaten up' on sight.

"The backlash not only embarrassed Shinde but also made him a subject of ridicule in Maharashtra. Meanwhile, the BJP and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis are quietly enjoying the spectacle," the editorial claimed. But it is unfortunate that in the process, Maharashtra itself has been dragged into this "farce", the editorial stated.

The Marathi daily also recalled PM Modi's recent statement in a podcast that "criticism is the soul of democracy".

"Yet, even before his words could resonate, a pro-Modi Shinde group attacked and destroyed a podcast studio, striking at the very foundation of free speech. Death threats were issued against Kamra, raising serious concerns about law and order in Maharashtra," it said.

What was the Maharashtra home minister (also Fadnavis) doing? Where was the police when chaos unfolded in Mumbai? Were they silent spectators, or worse, complicit in the act? the editorial questioned.

As soon as the "pro-Modi Shinde group" vandalised the studio, the Mumbai civic body swiftly arrived with bulldozers, demolishing several structures under the pretext of their being illegal, it said. "The civic body conveniently realised these violations only after the studio was used to criticise the government. The picture is grim for Maharashtra," it added.

The editorial also asked why satire should provoke such an "extreme response" and why an atmosphere of lawlessness and fear should be created in Mumbai.

"It has become evident that Fadnavis is a weak home minister. Instead of taking action against those who attacked the studio, he is asking Kamra to apologise to Shinde, essentially underscoring that freedom of speech does not exist," it claimed.

Ironically, Fadnavis' father fought against (then prime minister) Indira Gandhi during the 1975 Emergency and went to jail, and BJP leaders observe 26 June as 'Black Day' in memory of the Emergency, the Marathi publication said. "But if they continue suppressing dissent, they should stop this sham of observing 26 June as Black Day," the editorial stated.

Claiming hypocrisy on the part of Shinde's supporters, it said they targeted Kamra but remained silent on (journalist) Prashant Koratkar, who allegedly defamed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his son. "Has the BJP granted Koratkar the freedom of speech to insult Shivaji Maharaj?" the Marathi daily asked.

The stand-up comedian has kicked up a major political storm for taking a jibe at Shinde's political career in his show by modifying the lyrics of a popular Hindi movie song, though he never named Shinde, or any other political leader.

On Sunday night, Shiv Sena members damaged the Habitat Studio in Mumbai's Khar area, where Kamra's show was filmed, as well as a hotel in whose premises the studio was located. The studio has since announced that it will be shutting down for the time being.

With PTI inputs