Comedian jokes about politicians - now police investigation

Comedian jokes about politicians - now police investigation

A well-known Indian comedian stands up for his right to make jokes after an angry mob attacked a comedy club where he took a swipe at a right-wing politician on stage.

Kunal Kamra and the controversies surrounding his jokes

Kunal Kamra, known for his sharp commentary on pop culture and politics, is under police investigation in the western Indian state of Maharashtra for alleged defamation. The reason for the investigation is his jokes about Deputy Prime Minister Eknath Shinde. This incident is the latest example of declining freedom of expression in India and the sensitivities among the country's right-wing politicians, who in some cases have already called for the artist's arrest.

The comedy club incident

A video from the performance, posted on Kamara's YouTube channel on Sunday, shows the comedian appearing to mock Shinde. In the video, Kamra does not specifically mention the politician, but does reference a "gaddar" or "traitor" in a song - this is widely understood to be a reference to Shinde's leadership of an uprising in 2022 that led to the overthrow of the state's previous government.

Anger and violence

The joke immediately drew angry reactions from the Hindu supremacist Shiv Sena party, to which Shinde belongs. An angry mob later turned up at The Habitat Comedy Club in Mumbai, where Kamra had been performing. A video The incident shows dozens of men - some wearing scarves bearing the Shiv Sena logo - smashing chairs and vandalizing the club's interior.

Political reactions and support

Police are also investigating the alleged vandalism. CNN has reached out to Shinde for comment. Krishna Hegde, a spokesman for the Shiv Sena, said Kamara's comments had "insulted" the people of Maharashtra. He demanded, "Mumbai Police should take Kunal Kamra into custody, arrest him and put him behind bars."

Another party lawmaker, Naresh Mhaske, warned that Kamra could no longer be safe on the streets. “You won’t even be able to walk around India anymore,” he said in a video message. Kamra, on the other hand, insists that he will not apologize for his comments and criticized the "inability to laugh at a powerful public figure" on X.

The Comedian's Defense

Some opposition politicians in Maharashtra have demonstratively thrown their support behind Kamra in the face of the political storm. Aditya Thackeray, Shinde's former political ally, said: "Only an insecure coward would react like this to a person's song."

The Habitat expressed shock at the vandalism and announced the club's temporary closure. “We have never interfered with the content performed by artists, but recent events make us think about how we are becoming targets.”

Growing intolerance in India

This isn't Kamara's first run-in with the law. In December 2020, he was taken to court by the Supreme Court for allegedly denigrating the judiciary and judges in his social media posts. Two years ago, Kamra described India as a "humorless society" and said she had canceled about 100 performances due to threats from right-wing groups.

The protection of freedom of expression

Freedom of expression is enshrined in India's democratic constitution, but comedians in the world's largest democracy have faced the wrath of politicians over their jokes. In November 2021, right-wing politicians called for the arrest of comedian Vir Das after he made a haunting statement monologue about the country's rape problem and the farmers' long protests.

Although the past fate of many comedians shows that they should not be punished for their words and jokes, they often find that their careers are seriously jeopardized under such circumstances. However, Kamra remains committed to defending his right to satire and humor against those who object to power.