Comedian Kunal Kamra has triggered a fresh political row after posting a photograph of himself on social media wearing a T-shirt that allegedly mocks the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), drawing strong criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
On Sunday, Kamra shared an image on Instagram in which he is seen wearing a T-shirt featuring the letters “RSS”, with a goat graphic forming part of the first letter. He captioned the post, “not clicked at comedy club”.
Reacting to the image, Maharashtra minister and senior BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule warned that police action could follow if “objectionable” content was shared online. “The police would take action against anyone who puts out such objectionable posts,” Bawankule said, referring to Kamra’s T-shirt, which he claimed bore “a dog image alongside a reference to the RSS, the BJP’s ideological mentor.”
Shiv Sena cabinet minister Sanjay Shirsat, from the BJP’s alliance partner, also weighed in, insisting that the BJP “must respond firmly” to the comedian’s post. “Earlier, he targeted Prime Minister Modi and (Dy CM) Eknath Shinde, and now he has dared to directly attack the RSS. The BJP needs to respond to this,” Shirsat said. He added: “Shiv Sena responded to Kamra’s critical comments on DCM Eknath Shinde. Now he has mustered the courage to make an objectionable post against the RSS.”
Kamra has previously faced political backlash. In March, he made critical remarks about Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during one of his shows, even tweaking the lyrics of a film song to mock the chief minister’s political trajectory. The incident prompted a violent reaction, with Shiv Sena workers vandalising the Habitat Comedy Club in Mumbai’s Khar and damaging a hotel on the same premises where Kamra’s show had been scheduled.
