New Delhi: Lucknow, March 26, 2025 – In a wide-ranging interview set to air Wednesday morning, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath addressed the ongoing controversy surrounding comedian Kunal Kamra’s recent performance. The firebrand BJP leader’s comments come amidst a heated debate on the limits of free speech and political satire in India.
Adityanath criticized those who, in his view, misuse freedom of expression to launch personal attacks. “Unfortunately, some people believe it’s their birthright to use this freedom to tear the country apart and widen divisions,” he stated, referring to Kamra’s controversial joke about Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The Chief Minister’s remarks follow a tumultuous week in Maharashtra, where Kamra’s satirical rendition of a popular Bollywood song at Mumbai’s Habitat Comedy Club sparked outrage. The performance, which included references to Shinde as a “gaddar” (traitor), led to protests, vandalism, and the eventual demolition of the venue by municipal authorities citing building violations.
Kamra, who has reportedly received hundreds of threatening calls since the incident, remains defiant. He told Mumbai Police that he does not regret the joke and would only apologize if ordered by the courts.
Adityanath’s interview, however, extended beyond the Kamra controversy. He launched a scathing attack on the Congress party, accusing it of using foreign funds, specifically from billionaire George Soros, to influence the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The UP Chief Minister went so far as to label such actions “equal to treason.”
The BJP leader also criticized the Congress-led Karnataka government’s recent bill proposing a 4% quota for Muslims in public contracts, calling it an “insult to Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Constitution.”
As the debate over free speech, political satire, and the role of comedy in public discourse continues to intensify, Adityanath’s comments are likely to add fuel to an already contentious issue.
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