Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 24 : Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aditya Thackeray on Monday likened Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) MP's threat to standup artiste Kunal Kamra with the Taliban after his remarks during a show in Mumbai triggered a massive row.
"Yesterday, I saw Kunal Kamra's clip, after the protest, after the vandalism. The question arises when did Eknath Shinde's workers decide that he is a traitor and a thief? Because he has not taken anyone's name, he must have been talking about someone. Why did they get hurt? ...Will the Chief Minister stop the hooliganism he is doing? The whole country, the whole world knows who the traitor and the thief is...
"Many times Kunal Kamra has talked about us, about so many people, about Modi sahab as well, but no one reacted like this...The Chief Minister said that those who committed vandalism in Nagpur will be made to compensate for the loss. Will those who vandalized yesterday be made to compensate for the loss? The CM should open his eyes and see who is undermining him. Is it the opposition or his friends?..." Aditya Thackeray said.
The junior Thackeray questioned whether an international concert would be held after the vandalization of Habitat Comedy Club in Khar, where Kamra's show was filmed.
"The words thief and traitor have been spoken in the poem. When did the gang of thieves decide that it is Eknath Shinde? His MP has compared him to a snake. Will the international concert be held after this vandalism? Activists have proven that Eknath Shinde is a thief and a traitor," Thackeray said.
"I condemn Mhaske; they should not have compared him to a snake. For the first time, it is seen that MPs are threatening, just like the Taliban used to threaten. We are talking about law and order. Who is underlining the Home Department?" he said.
Further attacking Maharashtra Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, he said "Whether or not the Chief Minister will put a check on Taporigiri or not is also a question, There is no need for supari etc, Kunal Kamra has also criticized us."
"Yesterday too, Kamra criticized Modi, But no one has reacted this much. The Chief Minister should open his eyes and see who is underlining him," he added.
Earlier, Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday threw his weight behind stand-up artist Kunal Kamra amid the controversy over his remarks, asserting that Kamra's statements were truthful and reflective of public sentiment.
Further Thackeray said that calling someone a 'gaddar' was not an attack on anyone.
"I don't think Kunal Kamra said anything wrong. Calling a 'gaddar' a 'gaddar' is not an attack on anyone. Kunal Kamra has said the truth; he has expressed what people feel," Thackeray said while addressing mediapersons here.
Defending Kunal Kamra's freedom of expression, Thackeray said, "He has said the truth, so there is no question of infringement of freedom of expression. Hear the full song (from Kunal Kamra's show) and make others hear it too."
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis slammed Kunal Kamra's remarks against Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, stating that such acts can't be justified as "freedom of speech."