Kamra row rocks Legislative Council; Maha govt to probe CDR, bank transactions of comedian
Mumbai, March 24 (IANS) The Maharashtra Legislative Council on Monday adjourned thrice amid the ruckus over stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra’s indirect reference to Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as ‘traitor’ on his show.
On Monday, a heated exchange of words took place between the ruling and Opposition members. Amid din, Minister of State for Home (Urban), Yogesh Kadam, announced that the Maharashtra government will investigate the call records and bank transactions of Kamra.
The minister further said that strict action would be taken against Kamra and the government would also try to seek out the mastermind behind the verbal attack on Shinde.
Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) legislator, Ambadas Danve, raised the issue regarding the vandalism of the Mumbai studio where the shoot of Kamra’s show took place.
He stated that it had created a serious law and order problem not just in Mumbai but across Maharashtra.
As soon as Danve started speaking on the issue Eknath Shinde who was sitting in the House, left.
Danve said, “It’s a very serious issue that the studio was attacked by the ruling party activists in the presence of the police. The timing of the vandalism coincided with the planned two-day debate in the state legislature on the Constitution of India.”
“The attack by the Shiv Sena activists is an attack on the freedom of speech. Those who attacked the studio kept silent when objectionable statements were made against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj by the likes of Prashant Koratkar and Rahul Solapurkar,” Danve said.
While Danve was speaking, BJP and Shiv Sena began making their arguments against Kunal Kamra’s alleged remarks on Shinde, that led to a verbal duel between the members of the Treasury and the Opposition.
Amid this din, state council chairman Ram Shinde directed the state government to submit its stand on the issue.
Industry Minister Uday Samant said that in the past Kamra had taken swipes at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Kamra had joined Rahul Gandhi in his Bharat Jodo Yatra. What does it mean when the same Kamra insults our leader? If tomorrow someone makes objectionable statements against Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray we will stand with you. Now you support us,” Samant urged Shiv Sena (UBT) members.
Danve clarified that he did not speak against anyone but only raised the issue of law and order violation by ruling party members.
“You are in power, file a case against him! Run a trial, but why take the law in your hand?” he asked.
However, ruling party members created a ruckus over it, that led to the adjournment of the House by the Chair for 10 minutes.
When the House reassembled, BJP MLC Prasad Lad slammed Kamra and alleged that Opposition parties were trying to give a different colour to the issue. But as MVA members objected to it, the council was again adjourned for 15 minutes.
Thereafter, when the House resumed, Ram Shinde allowed Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC, Sachin Ahir to speak, but amid chaos he again adjourned the House for 30 minutes.
When the House resumed, minister Kadam announced that the state government would investigate the CDR and bank transactions of Kunal Kamra.
–IANS
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