Silencing Satire
The recent uproar over comedian Kunal Kamra's jokes about a prominent political leader in Maharashtra is yet another example of the shrinking space for free expression in India.
Stand-up comic Kunal Kamra has released another song video after the Mumbai Police asked him to appear for investigation about a complaint lodged in response to his jokes which riled Maharahtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
In the new video released by Kunal Kamra, he has sung ‘Hum Honge Kangal’ which is a parody of the tune ‘Hum Honge Kamyaab Ek Din’, while visuals depict a Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena mob vandalising the Habitat Comedy Club.
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His parody lyrics go, “Hum honge kangal ek din, man me hai andhvishwas, desh ka satyanash’ (we will be poor one day, there is blind faith in the heart, the country is heading towards destruction), as visuals show a Eknath Shinde-led Sena mob throwing chairs and vandalizing the property at Mumbai’s popular Habitat Comedy Club, which has now been demolished.
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In a written reply to the Mumbai Police, filed through his lawyer in Mumbai, Kamra has sought one week’s time to appear before the Mumbai police. A case was registered by Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) police against Kamra, which was transferred to Khar police for further investigation.
After the FIR, Kamra said he would not apologize. “I will not apologize. I don’t fear this mob and I will not be hiding under my bed, waiting for this to die down,” he posted on X.
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