Maharashtra govt summons Kamra for insulting `traitor', remains silent on Solapurkar: Uddhav

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday said the Maharashtra government summoned comedian Kunal Kamra for insulting a "traitor", but took no action against actor Rahul Solapurkar over his `insult' of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Speaking to reporters a day after the Budget session of the state legislature ended, he also criticised the BJP over its outreach programme for Muslim families `Saugat-e-Modi'. "You summon Kunal Kamra twice for insulting a traitor, but do not summon Rahul Solapurkar even once," Thackeray said. Kamra, whose parody song targeting Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde led to an attack by Shinde supporters on a studio here on Sunday, has been summoned by Mumbai Police. Shiv Sena (UBT) has often used the term `traitor' for Shinde, who rebelled against Thackeray and split the party in 2022.

Solapurkar recently came under fire after stating in a podcast that Shivaji Maharaj, the 17th century Maratha warrior king, escaped from Agra Fort by bribing Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb’s officials and not by concealing himself in a basket of sweets as per the popular account. Some right-wing organizations took exception to the term `bribe'. Talking about the Saugat-e-Modi' initiative, Thackeray said, "When Shiv Sena received overwhelming support from Muslim voters, a hue and cry was made, saying that I had abandoned Hindutva. They even coined terms like 'Satta-Jihad'. But now, the same people have reversed their position."