Mumbai (Maharashtra), March 24: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant defended stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra’s controversial remarks, asserting that every statement made by Kamra was valid. Sawant emphasized that if democracy truly exists in India, Kamra’s freedom to express his views must be respected.
Sawant also condemned the vandalism that took place at the Habitat Comedy Club in Khar, where Kamra’s show was filmed, urging authorities to file an FIR against the perpetrators. “Every word Kamra said, every sentence, is correct,” Sawant stated. “If we claim democracy in this country, then we must accept criticism like this.”
Sawant drew a comparison to the past, pointing out that iconic figures like Balasaheb Thackeray, a renowned cartoonist, made caricatures of major political figures like Sharad Pawar, Sonia Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, and Jawaharlal Nehru without facing such backlash. He added, “Had this been the present time, cases would have been filed against him daily.”
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also condemned the vandalism, accusing the ruling faction of attempting to sow unrest. “They ignited a fire in Nagpur and are now trying to do the same in Mumbai,” she stated. “What kind of intolerance is this? If you disagree, file a police complaint, but this behavior is nothing short of hooliganism. The people of Mumbai and Maharashtra are watching how law and order is being misused.”
Chaturvedi also criticized the Shinde-led faction of Shiv Sena, saying that their reaction to a joke where Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s name was not even mentioned suggests they were affected by the underlying truth of Kamra’s remarks. “They are threatening action over a joke where Eknath Shinde’s name was never mentioned,” Chaturvedi added. “This only proves that what Kamra said holds some truth.”
In the wake of the controversy, an FIR has been filed against both Kunal Kamra and the Shiv Sena’s youth wing over the vandalism at the comedy club.