'Your inability to take a joke...': Kunal Kamra reacts amid Shinde joke row
PTC News Desk: Comedian Kunal Kamra broke silence after his jibe at Maharashtra deputy CM sparked outrage by Shive Sena workers and drew multiple cases. He said that no political party controls his comedy and that making fun of leaders is not against the law.
"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. Your inability to take a joke at the expense of a powerful public figure does not change the nature of my right," Kamra said, a day after an FIR was filed against him and Shiv Sena workers ransacked the hotel where the stand-up comedy show was held.
The Shiv Sena workers vandalised the habitat centre in Mumbai after Kamra's remarks about Eknath Shinde on Sunday.
An FIR was registered against the comedian, and Shiv Sena workers vandalised The Habitat hotel in Mumbai, where the event was held. On Monday, the Mumbai civic body demolished parts of Habitat Studio, citing violations of building regulations.
"An entertainment venue is merely a platform. A space for all sorts of shows. Habitat (or any other venue) is not responsible for my comedy, nor does it have any power or control over what I say or do. Neither does any political party. Attacking a venue for a comedian's words is as senseless as overturning a lorry carrying tomatoes, because you didn't like the butter chicken you were served", Kunal Kamra's statement read.
"However, I am willing to co-operate with the police and courts for any lawful action taken against me. But will the law be fairly and equally deployed against those who have decided that vandalism is the appropriate response to being offended by a joke? And against the unelected members of the BMC, who have arrived today at Habitat, without prior notice, and tore the place down with hammers? Perhaps for my next venue, I will opt for Elphinstone bridge, or any other structure in Mumbai that's in need of speedy demolition", the statement added.
- With inputs from agencies
