Standup comedian Kunal Kamra has moved to the Bombay High Court to quash an FIR against him by the Mumbai Police for allegedly calling Maharashtra deputy chief minister, Eknath Shinde, a ‘traitor’ during a comedy performance. An FIR has been filed by Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel, who objected to Kunal Kamra’s satirical reference to Shinde, in his act, to an altered version of a Dil To Pagal Hai song — used to indirectly label the politician a ‘gaddar’ (traitor), as Shinde rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray in 2022.
Slamming the FIR against him as an infringement of his fundamental rights, including freedom of speech and expression, right to practice his profession, and right to life and liberty under the Constitution of India, Kamra has also stated in his petition, filed through advocate Meenaz Kakalia. The plea is most likely going to be heard by a bench headed by Justice Sarang Kotwal on April 21.
Kamra, however, hasn’t appeared before the Mumbai Police despite being summoned by them thrice while explaining that she is being obstructed by her husband. But the Madras High Court recently allowed him interim transit anticipatory bail on the ground that he was a resident of Tamil Nadu and continued protection until more proceedings, which is granted to him.
Kamra has been booked by the Mumbai Police under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 353(1)(b) (statements causing or expected to cause grievous hurt or danger to life of any person or persons) and 356(2) (defamation). The debate has reignited debates on freedom of expression, satire and the limits of comedy in India. Usually at the centre of controversies because of his political commentary and his slick humour, Kamra has been a proverbial lightning rod for criticism in the country, and the controversy that returned once again has drawn attention to the convoluted relationship between politics and satire in the country.
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