Opposition Questions BJP’s Selective Outrage Over Comedian Kunal Kamra’s Remarks

The Opposition has called out the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for its apparent double standards in responding to comedian Kunal Kamra’s provocative humor. While the BJP stayed quiet about Kamra’s direct quips targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it sharply criticized a parody song that subtly alluded to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde without naming him. This scrutiny coincides with Mumbai Police issuing a second summons to Kamra over allegations of derogatory remarks aimed at Shinde.

The 36-year-old comedian has been directed to appear before an investigating officer at Khar police station in suburban Mumbai. The summons follows a complaint lodged by Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel, triggering a defamation probe. According to PTI, Mumbai Police first contacted Kamra on Tuesday, after which he sought a week’s delay to comply with the initial notice.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve addressed reporters at the legislature complex following the Budget session, highlighting the BJP’s inconsistent stance. He noted that Kamra’s overt jabs at PM Modi drew no reaction from the party, yet the parody song—lacking any direct reference to Shinde—sparked a strong backlash. Danve suggested that the BJP might be leveraging Shinde as a means to pursue Kamra.

Why has Kunal Kamra been summoned?

The legal action against Kamra stems from his alleged veiled references to Shinde in a parody performance. Drawing from a popular song in the film Dil To Pagal Hai, Kamra is said to have implied Shinde was a “gaddar” (traitor), a nod to Shinde’s role in the 2022 rebellion against then-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray that toppled the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. The comedian also wove in jests about Maharashtra’s recent political upheavals, including the 2022 Shiv Sena split and the 2023 fracture within the NCP.