Kunal Kamra spoke against law, tried to insult a leader: Union Minister Ramdas Athawale

New Delhi [India], March 25 (ANI): Union Minister Ramdas Athawale has criticised stand-up artiste Kunal Kamra for his remarks allegedly targeting Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde saying that he has spoken against the law and tried to insult a leader.
"Kunal Kamra has spoken against the law. He has tried to insult a leader. He should not insult anyone. He should apologize. Legal action should be taken against him," Athawale told ANI.
After Kamra refused to apologize for his remarks, Congress MLA Vijay Wadettiwar said that Kamra's decision not to apologise was not right as he had not taken anyone's name.
Criticising the vandalism of the Habitat Centre in Mumbai, Wadettiwar said that vandalism and suppressing anyone's voice is not right and a government should be able to take criticism.
"If anything is wrong, then they should go to the court. Vandalism and suppressing anyone's voice is not right. A government should be able to take criticism. If someone has done a comedy for laughter, then the government should have laughed it off... Kangana Ranaut said even more derogatory words about your leaders, then it was called freedom of speech... Kunal Kamra's decision not to apologise is right... He has not taken anyone's name... No one is respecting the law... Such a government cannot last long. One or the other day, people would be enraged, and the government would have to pay..." the Congress MLA told reporters.
Earlier today, Kamra's refusal to apologize for his remarks made during a recent show has sparked strong reactions from Maharashtra government officials including Maharashtra's Minister of State for Home Yogesh Kadam and Minister Gulab Patil.
MoS Home Yogesh Ramdas Kadam said that Kamra would be punished for his behaviour, which he described as "unacceptable".
Kadam stated, "He will be punished. If you are going to insult the Supreme Court, PM of India, Hindu Gods and Goddesses, it is not tolerable. You cannot behave like this in Maharashtra or India... We do enjoy comedy, but this is not the kind of comedy that will be tolerated in Maharashtra."
Kamra on Monday released a statement on his official social media handle saying that he would "not apologise" for his act.
Maharashtra Minister Gulab Raghunath Patil also expressed strong disapproval of Kamra's actions. Patil warned, "If he doesn't apologize, we will speak to him in our own style... Shiv Sena won't leave him... we won't tolerate this insult... if he doesn't apologize, he will come out, where will he hide?... Shiv Sena will show its real form."
Earlier, Mumbai Police sent a summons to standup artist Kunal Kamra, asking him to appear before the investigating officer at 11 am today. `As per Mumbai police, Kunal is not in Mumbai right now.
MIDC police had registered an FIR against Kunal Kamra for his remarks during a stand-up comedy show, which was transferred to Khar police for further investigation.
Reacting to the ongoing tussle over his remarks about Eknath Shinde in his latest YouTube video on Kunal Kamra stated that the entertainment venue is merely a platform and is not "responsible" for his comedy.
The Shiv Sena workers vandalised The Habitat centre in Mumbai after Kamra's remarks about Eknath Shinde on Sunday. (ANI)