'Traitor' jibe row: Amid the controversy over comedian Kunal Kamra's 'gaddar' (traitor) remark, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde took a veiled swipe at Uddhav Thackeray, stating that the Shiv Sena under his leadership is a party of dedicated workers, not of 'a master and slaves.' Shinde made this remark while addressing the workers who joined from the Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction) to his party.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief has frequently been labeled a 'traitor' by the Uddhav Thackeray faction since he split from Shiv Sena in 2022 and aligned with the BJP.
Shiv Sena not a party of master and slaves: Shinde
He emphasised that Sainiks like him were not born with a silver spoon but have risen through dedication and hard work. "Our focus has always been on serving the people and improving their lives. This party does not belong to a select few but to the lakhs of dedicated workers who have built it with their hard work and sacrifices. It is a party of committed individuals, not of 'masters and slaves'," Shinde said.
He further emphasised that he has always responded to criticism with his actions and will continue to stand firmly with the party workers.
The Shiv Sena leader further said the Mahayuti alliance could win a landslide victory in last year's assembly polls because of the work done by the erstwhile government led by him.
Shinde's 'supari' jibe at Kunal Kamra's joke
Earlier, Shinde had likened comedian Kunal Kamra's jibe at him to taking "supari" (contract) to speak against someone, and said there should be a decorum while making a satire, otherwise the "action causes a reaction".
Reacting to Kamra's comments, Shinde warned that every action has a reaction. "Freedom of speech is there. We understand satire. But there should be a limit. This is like taking 'supari' (contract) to speak against someone," Shinde had said.
Kamra's remarks on Shinde’s political journey during his stand-up show have sparked a major political controversy in Maharashtra.
Kunal Kamra's 'traitor joke' creates controversy
Kamra sparked up a political storm with his controversial 'gaddar' (traitor) joke, which was allegedly aimed at Deputy Chief Minister Shinde. Kamra had performed a parody of a popular Hindi song from the film "Dil Toh Pagal Hai," apparently referring to Shinde as a "gaddar" (traitor). He also made jokes about recent political developments in Maharashtra, including the Shiv Sena and NCP splits.
Several political leaders condemned Kamra's statement during a stand-up show and sought action against him. Kamra, however, on Tuesday, shared a new video to mock Shiv Sena workers for vandalising Mumbai's The Habitat comedy club, where he had performed earlier.
(With PTI inputs)
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