Hours after the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena workers vandalised a studio over his ‘gaddar’ jibe against Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra on Monday refused to yield to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ demand for an apology, while the management of studio “the Habitat” tendered an apology and announced its decision to shut down the place over Kamra’s comments.

On a day when the Opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) threw its weight behind the stand-up comedian saying that what he had said was “truth” and “not a satire”, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the “gaddar” jibe against his Deputy Eknath Shinde was in bad taste and demanded an apology from Kamra.

Talking to media persons at Vidhan Bhavan where the Budget session of the State Legislature is currently on, Fadnavis said, “There is freedom to do stand-up comedy, but he cannot speak whatever he wants. The people of Maharashtra have decided who the traitor is. Kunal Kamra should apologise. Legal action will be taken against him. This will not be tolerated. There is the right to comedy, but if it is being done to defame our Shinde purposely, it is not right”

Fadnavis, who is also the state Home Minister, said that Kamra had displayed the same red-coloured Constitution book often show by Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. “Both of them have not read the Constitution,” the Chief Minister said.

On his part, Kunal — against whom Shiv Sena legislator Murji Patel registered a complaint with the MIDC police station at Andheri police station under Sections 353(1) (b), 353(2) and 356(2) — told the police that he did not regret his “gaddar” (traitor) comments against Shinde.

Kamra, who is away from Mumbai at his home in Pondicherry, told the police over phone that he would tender an apology if directed to do so by the courts.

After the “gaddar” jibe at Shinde using a modified version of a Hindi song from “Dil To Pagal Hai” — “…meri nazar se tum dekho to gaddar nazar wo aaye…haaye..”, the studio “the Habitat” — a venue located at The Unicontinental hotel in Khar suburbs of Mumbai where Kunal had shot his stand-up comedy — was vandalised by the Shinde Shiv Sena workers on Sunday night. 

The police detained at least 11 Shinde Sena workers on Sunday night but were released immediately afterwards. Multiple FIRs have been registered against Kunal and also the Shiv Sena workers involved in the vandalisation of a studio.

During his show, Kamal shared the video clip on the social networking platform X. Kunal Kamra alluded to Eknath Shinde’s 2022 rebellion, which led to the split of Shiv Sena into the Shinde faction and the Uddhav Thackeray faction.

Videos of the vandalism that went viral on social media showed a mob running rampant at the studio, damaging property and throwing chairs around.

The owners of the studio — Habitat Studio, which also hosted the episode of the ‘India’s Got Latent’ show featuring influencer Ranveer Allahabadia — earlier distanced themselves from Kamra’s comment, arguing they could not be held accountable for comments by performers.

Earlier today, the management of Mumbai’s Habitat Studio said they had decided to shut the premises for now and that they are not responsible for the views of the artists. “We are shocked, worried and extremely broken by the recent acts of vandalism targeting us. Artists are solely responsible for their views and creative choices. We have never been involved in the content performed by any Artist, but the recent events have made us rethink about how we get blamed and targeted every time almost like we are a proxy for the performer.” “We are shutting down till we figure out the best way to provide a platform for free expression without putting ourselves and our property in jeopardy. We invite all artists, audience and stakeholders to discuss and share their views freely and request your guidance so that we also respect the performers’ rights,” the studio said.

The studio also said that it was not involved in the making of Kunal Kamra’s latest video and “does not endorse the views expressed by it”. “We extend a sincere and heartfelt apology to all those hurt by this video,” it said.

Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) said that the comments made against Shinde were “elitist and classist” and people of India would not tolerate it.

“The comments were elitist and classist people, who are disguised as comedians, need to be called out..Maharashtra is very proud that a man who started as a autorickshaw driver rose to become the CM of Maharashtra,” Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha member Milind Deora said.

“Mocking Shinde ji, a self-made leader who rose from driving an auto to leading India’s 2nd largest state-reeks of classist arrogance. India is rejecting entitled monarchs & their bootlicking ecosystem that pretends to champion meritocracy and democracy,” Deora said.

In a related development, the Shiv Sena (UBT) extended its full support to Kunal Kamra. *

Talking to media persons, Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray said: “Kunal Kamra has said what is true... it was not satire. Those who steal are ‘gaddar. There is no freedom of expression when it comes to traitors”.

Distancing his party from the act of vandalism that took place on Sunday, Uddhavf said, “Don’t blame Shiv Sainiks for what happened at Khar... sainiks can never do that. The people who are scared thought their leader had been disrespected by a song. But, when people disrespect Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, then that doesn’t get such a reaction”.

Hitting out at Shinde, Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said, “Why should Kamra apologise (as Mr Fadnavis has demanded)? If this ‘traitor’ and ‘thief’ is Eknath Shinde, then he must apologise. But he (Mr Shinde) should first answer why he is a traitor and thief.”

Coming down heavily against the Shinde Sena workers for vandalising a Mumbai studio, Maharashtra Congress President Harshavardhan Sapkal said: “Comedian Kunal Kamra did not take anyone’s name in his show, and yet Eknath Shinde’s workers took the criticism personally and resorted to vandalism. The attackers belong to a constituent party of the government-do they not trust the government, the Constitution, the law, and the Home Department? Why did they take the law into their own hands? I would like to know whether the ruling alliance intends to turn Maharashtra into a Taliban-like state”.