MUMBAI: Is humour dead? It appears so.
The political parties in India find it difficult to appreciate humour. They have lost the capability to laugh at themselves.
No, humour cannot be a tool for resistance, as stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra found out on Sunday when Shiv Sena leaders took umbrage at Kamra targeting their party head and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
Shiv Sena workers vandalised Hotel Unicontinental in Mumbai's Khar area where Kamra's show with 'gaddar' (traitor) jibe at Deputy CM Eknath Shinde was filmed and sought an FIR against him, police said.
Studio shuts down
Meanwhile, on Monday Habitat Studio announced its decision to temporarily shut down. In a post on its official Instagram handle, Habitat said, "We are shocked, worried and extremely broken by the recent acts of vandalism targeting us."
"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," the studio added.
FIR against Kunal Kamra
The Mumbai police on Monday registered an FIR against Kunal Kamra for allegedly making defamatory remarks against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during a show.
The police also registered a case against nearly 40 Shiv Sena workers for allegedly vandalising the Habitat Studio in Mumbai's Khar area, where Kamra's show with "gaddar" (traitor) jibe at Shinde was filmed, as well as a hotel in whose premises the studio is located, they said.
Notably, the Habitat Studio, where Kamra's show was held, is the same venue where the controversial 'India's Got Latent' show had been filmed.
After a video went viral showing Kamra allegedly using defamatory words against Shinde, Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel lodged a police complaint.
Based on the complaint, the MIDC police here registered a First Information Report (FIR) in the early hours of Monday against Kamra under various Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) actions, including 353(1)(b) (statements conducing to public mischief) and 356(2) (defamation), an official said.
In the nearly 2-minute video, Kamra also mocked the ruling NCP and Shiv Sena, the MIDC police station official said, adding an investigation was underway.
Another FIR was registered by the Khar police against 19 Shiv Sena functionaries, who have been named, including Rahul Kanal (Yuva Sena), Vibhag Pramukh Kunal Sarmarkar and Akshay Panvelkar, and 15 to 20 unidentified persons for allegedly vandalising the Habitat Studio as well as ransacking the hotel properties, an official said.
The case against the Shiv Sainiks was registered under various BNS sections, including for damaging private property and unlawful assembly, the official added.
Police version
According to a police official, the party workers reached the auditorium of the hotel after a video of Kamra's jibe against Shinde went viral on social media. The video was also posted on X by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut by saying 'Kunal Ka Kamal'.
Kamra taunted Shinde using a modified version of a Hindi song from the film 'Dil To Pagal Hai', eliciting laughter from the audience.
Shiv Sena MP's warning to Kamra
Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske warned Kamra that he will be chased by Sena workers throughout the country.
"You will be forced to flee India," he said in a video message.
"Kamra is a contract comedian. But he should not have stepped on the tail of a snake (apparently referring to Shinde). Once the fangs are out, there will be dire consequences," the Thane MP added.
Kunal Kamra has accepted money from Uddhav Thackeray and is targeting Eknath Shinde, Mhaske alleged.
"We will make sure you cannot move freely throughout the country. We are Shiv Sainiks of the late Balasaheb Thackeray. If we start following you, you will have to leave the country," the Thane Lok Sabha MP added.
"His party is left with nobody so it is hiring such people. Kamra will now realize the consequences of criticising Shinde," Mhaske said attacking Thackeray.
Mhaske also slammed Raut for circulating the video on X.
In a post on X, Raut said, "Kunal Kamra is a well-known writer and stand-up comedian. Kunal composed a parody song on Maharashtra's political scenario, which irked the Shinde gang and then ransacked the studio. Devendraji, you are a weak home minister."
Raut tagged the personal X handles of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel said he would show "Kamra his level" and asked him to apologise. "I am going to file an FIR against Kamra at MIDC police station," Patel said.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and MLA Aaditya Thackeray, on Monday night, called the attack on the studio cowardly.
In his post on X, Thackeray said, "Mindhe's (read Shinde) coward gang breaks the comedy show stage where comedian @kunalkamra88 put out a song on Eknath mindhe, which was 100 percent true. Only an insecure coward would react to a song by someone."
"By the way, law and order in the state? Another attempt to undermine the CM and Home Minister by Eknath Mindhe," he said.
Thackeray always uses the Marathi word "Mindhe" while referring to Eknath Shinde to taunt him, as it means subservient.
Sena (UBT) legislator Aaditya Thackeray, slammed the vandalism at the show venue, calling it a "cowardly" act.
In a post on X late Sunday night, Thackeray said, Mindhe's coward gang breaks the comedy show stage where comedian @kunalkamra88 put out a song on eknath mindhe, which was 100 per cent true. Only an insecure coward would react to a song by someone. By the way, law and order in the state? Another attempt to undermine the CM and Home Minister by Eknath Sindhe.
To sum up, one is reminded of Milan Kundera's warning.
Kundera wrote: But humor, to recall Octavio Paz, is "the great invention of the modern spirit." It has not been with us forever, and it won't be with us forever either.
With a heavy heart, I imagine the day when Panurge no longer makes people laugh.”
(Panurge is the principal character Gargantua and Pantagruel, a series of five novels by François Rabelais.)
(With inputs from PTI)
