'There should be a limit': Eknath Shinde hits out at Kunal Kamra amid 'gaddar' joke row

NEW DELHI: Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde reacted to comedian Kunal Kamra's "gaddar" joke and said there should be a "limit" to freedom of speech.
"Freedom of speech is there. We understand satire. But there should be a limit. This is like taking 'supari' (contract) to speak against someone," he said at a BBC Marathi event.
Responding to the vandalism of Habitat Studio by the Shiv Sena workers, Shinde said, "The other person should also maintain certain level, otherwise, action causes reaction."
"This same person (Kamra) had commented on the Supreme Court of India, the prime minister, (journalist) Arnab Goswami and some industrialists. This is not freedom of speech; this is working for someone," he added.
This came after Kamra refused to apologize for his jokes, apparently made at the deputy CM, that caused massive political uproar in Maharashtra on Monday.
"I will not apologise," Kamra said, taking aim at the "mob and politicians".
"Our right to freedom of speech and expression is not only to be used to fawn over the powerful and rich even though today's media would have us believe otherwise," he added.

The controversy erupted when Kamra parodied a popular song from Dil Toh Pagal Hai, labeling Eknath Shinde a "gaddar" (traitor), triggering protests and vandalism by Shinde-led Sena workers.
“Meri nazar se tum dekho to gaddar nazar wo aaye. Haaye," Kunal Kamra said during his show.
"Shiv Sena first came out of the BJP, then Shiv Sena came out of Shiv Sena. NCP came out of NCP, they gave nine buttons to one voter... everyone got confused," he added.
The joke drew a sharp response from Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) workers who went on to vandalise Habitat Studio, the venue where Kamra performed.


An FIR was registered against Kamra and Khar Police issued summons to him.
Additionally, 12 Shinde-led Shiv Sena workers were arrested and case was registered against 40 for vandalising the Studio.
Later, the BMC officials reached the venue to demolish the illegal portion of the Studio. The owners, however, requested for time to dismantle it themselves, an official said.

Habitat Studio decided to temporarily shut down saying, "We are shocked, worried and extremely broken by the recent acts of vandalism targeting us." It also distanced itself from Kamra's creative choices and said, "The Habitat is not involved in the making of the recent video of Kunal Kamra and it does not endorse the views expressed by it."

Following the uproar, the Maharashtra government and the opposition engaged in war of words, with the former slamming Kamra and the latter defending him.
Demanding an apology from the comedian, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis vowed to take "strictest possible action".
"Kamra's aim was to belittle Shinde in the eyes of the people. The opposition is supporting such a talk and one wonders whether Kamra is hand-in-glove with the opposition. He has posted a picture of himself with a red copy of the Constitution book which Rahul Gandhi carries," Fadnavis said.
"When you attack the freedom of others, your freedom is restricted. If you insult people on constitutional posts to create disturbances by taking supari (contract) to get publicity, it will not be tolerated. No one will object to stand-up comedy and satire. If we behave recklessly in the garb of freedom of speech and expression, it will not be tolerated. Strict action will be taken as per law," the CM said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackery expressed his support for Kamra and said, "Kamra merely expressed his views. He stated the facts and voiced the public opinion."
"Kamra hasn't done anything wrong...These traitors don't see Solapurkar and Koratkar who insulted Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj," he added.

The comedian refused to apologise and said that he did not "fear the mob".
"I will not apologise. What I said is exactly what Mr. Ajit Pawar (1st deputy CM) said about Mr. Eknath Shinde (2nd Deputy CM). I don't fear this mob & I will not be hiding under my bed, waiting for this to die down," he said.