Comedian Kunal Kamra has responded to the Mumbai Police's visit to his Mahim residence on Monday, criticizing the move as unnecessary and wasteful. The police arrived at his doorstep after he failed to appear before the Khar Police in connection with a case over his 'traitor' (gaddar) remark against Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde.
Taking to social media, Kamra shared a picture of himself from the terrace of his home in Tamil Nadu, clarifying that he has not lived at the Mumbai address for the last 10 years. He wrote: "Going to an address where I haven’t lived for the last 10 years is a waste of your time and public resources."
Kunal Kamra Takes a Sarcastic Dig at Censorship
Kamra also posted on X (formerly Twitter) with a cryptic message: "How to kill an artist 'democratically'."
His post humorously outlined how artists are silenced through orchestrated outrage, detailing a step-by-step breakdown of the tactic.
Police Action Against Kunal Kamra
This marks the second police summons issued to Kamra. A police official told PTI, "A Khar police team visited his house in Mahim, where his family stays, to check whether he would appear in connection with the case or not. Since he did not, further course of action will be decided soon."
Meanwhile, the Madras High Court granted Kamra interim anticipatory bail until April 7 in connection with an FIR lodged in Mumbai. Additionally, three more FIRs have been filed against him in different parts of Maharashtra over the same ‘gaddar’ remark. These cases were transferred to the Khar Police Station on Friday.
The Origin of the Controversy
The first FIR was filed on a complaint by Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel. The controversy erupted after Kamra’s latest comedy special, ‘Naya Bharata’, was uploaded on YouTube. Certain clips from the show went viral, sparking outrage.
Following the backlash, Shiv Sena workers vandalized the Habitat Studio at Hotel Unicontinental in Khar, where the special was filmed. In response, Mumbai Police filed a suo motu case against the Sena workers and arrested 12 individuals, who were later released on bail.
Despite the legal challenges, Kamra remains vocal, using humor and satire to respond to the ongoing developments.