Kunal Kamra row: Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra is again involved in controversy over his ‘offensive’ joke about Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The workers of Shiv Sena (Shinde), the faction of the party that Eknath Shinde heads, allegedly ransacked the auditorium at the Unicontinental Mumbai hotel in Mumbai’s Khar demanding police action against Kunal Kamra after he apparently called Shinde a ‘Gaddar’ (Traitor) in one of his recent performances in Mumbai.
The remark has stirred a political storm, with Shiv Sena (Shinde) leader Milind Deora describing Kamra’s jokes as reeking of ‘classist arrogance’. Priyanka Chaturvedi, the leader of Shiv Sena (UBT)—the other faction of the party—taunted Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis with a ‘proud’ alliance partner jibe.
Fadnavis, the chief minister, also holds the Home Minister portfolio in the Mahayuti government of Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena (Shinde)-NCP.
Rahat Indori’s ‘Sarkar Chor Hai’
Amid the raging controversy, some users on social media have been sharing an old clip of a poetry recital by the famous Urdu poet, late Rahat Indori. The 2007 performance was from one of the Mushairas that Indori participated in Housten, United States.
At the Mushaira – a video of which is available on YouTube – Urdu poet Rahat Indori recollects an incident from the Emergency (1975-1977).
Indori says that in the particular Mushaira held at Red Fort in the national capital, he had read: “Sarkar chor hai (The government is a thief)” in one of his works. The next morning, Indori says, he was summoned by the local police station, where the cop asked him: “Did you say last night the government is a thief?” “Yes,” replied Indori, “but I didn’t say which government — whether of India or Pakistan or the US,” Indori added.
The cop, says Indori, responded: “You think, we are fools. Don’t know which government is thief.”
The incident perhaps refers to the fact that Kamra, in his performance, did not name Shinde, but there were enough references for one to think about who he actually meant.
Indori, who died in 2020 of COVID-19, is known for his politically-charged poetry. Last year, Diljit Dosanjh cited Indori’s famous Kisi Ke Baap Ka Hindustaan Thodi Hai.” poem during his Dil-Luminati concert in Indore after the show faced protests from Bajrang Dal over reports of serving alcohol and meat in the show.
Responding to the protests, the Ikk Kudi singer recited verses from Rahat Indori’s poem during his concert. “Sabhi ka khoon shamil hai yahan ki miti mein, Kisi Ke Baap Ka Hindustan Thodi Hai. (Everybody’s blood mingles in this nation’s soil, India doesn’t belong solely to someone).”
The Kunal Kamra Row
Sarkar chor hai (The government is a thief).
Kunal Kamra, as seen in the video of his performance a few days ago, uses a modified version of a Hindi song from the Shahrukh Khan movie ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’. The video is now viral on social media, with Shinde’s rival politicians sharing it too. Some supporters have shared Rahat Indori’s 2007 clip and Kunal Kamra’s clip.
As things stand, the organisers have announced to shut hosting events for now after the vandalism. Incidentally, the same venue had hosted India’s Got Latent – another controversial comedy show involving Samay Raina and Ranveer Allahbadia.
Who was Rahat Indori?
Born as Rahat Qureshi, Rahat Indori, was an Indian Bollywood lyricist and Urdu poet. Indori was also a former professor of Urdu language and a painter
Indori performed in Mushaira and Kavi Sammelan for about forty years. He travelled widely to recite poetry and attended poetic symposiums in almost all the districts of India.
Outside India, Indori also performed in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, Singapore, Mauritius, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and a few other countries.
Indori tested positive for COVID-19 on 10 August 2020, and was admitted to Aurobindo Hospital in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. He died from cardiac arrest a day later on 11 August 2020. He was 70.
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