‘Mala fide, motivated’: Kamra replies to breach of privilege motion against him

Kamra, while questioning the notice sent to him, said that the privilege motion is “not to shield its members, regardless of what position they occupy in the executive, from embarrassment or discomfort caused by a citizen’s legitimate exercise of his freedom of speech”.

“It is an established principle – constitutional and commonsensical – that the legislature’s power to initiate privilege proceedings exists to protect the proper functioning of the democratic institution. Similar to a court’s power to punish for criminal contempt (which I have some familiarity with), parliamentary privilege can only be exercised if the impugned actions demonstrably and substantially interfere in the functioning of the relevant organ of state,” Kamra said in the reply sent on July 24 to Umesh Shinde, deputy secretary, Maharashtra Legislature.

“It is not to shield its members, regardless of what position they occupy in the executive, from embarrassment or discomfort caused by a citizen’s legitimate exercise of his freedom of speech,” he stated.

The stand-up comedian on March 23 posted a video of his standup act on his YouTube channel which featured a parody song that referred to Shinde’s rebellion against the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in 2022, using the term “gaddar (traitor)”.

Kamra’s reply stated the song that forms the subject of the notice has not, in any manner, interfered with the functioning of the Maharashtra legislature.

“Indeed, your notice does not evidence any such interference. It merely alleges that by singing a song, and adopting a sarcastic manner, I have belittled and disrespected the Deputy Chief Minister of the state. It also alleges that by this song, I have insulted the House, its 288 members and have attempted to provoke its members,” it said.

“The constitutional privilege accorded to legislators does not insulate them from sarcasm or satire. These privileges have been accorded to ensure the smooth functioning of the legislature, and cannot be deployed against those who come into the crosshairs of the ruling dispensation (the executive),” Kamra’s reply stated.

The reply mentioned that it can hardly be suggested that a satirical song that was performed in 2025, about Shinde’s actions in 2022, is an insult to the House, and each of its 288 members.

“Nor can Mr. Eknath Shinde be equated or conflated with the entire Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha,” he said.

Mentioning that the song expressed his opinion regarding a widely reported political event in the state, Kamra pointed out that the views and language were also used by “prominent individuals in public life”, including Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Finance Ajit Pawar and by the former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray.

“The only possible distinction is that they have used the term ‘gaddar’ in heated political speeches, while I sang it to the mellifluous tune of the hit Bollywood song ‘Bholi Si Surat’. Given this, the selective issuance of a breach of privilege notice to me appears mala fide and motivated, and also suggests an uncharitable view about my musical abilities,” it said.

“I would respectfully suggest that if a parody of a famous Bollywood song has disrupted or affected the functioning of the Maharashtra legislature, then the breach of privilege is by the members of the House who find themselves so easily provoked, and not by me,” the reply concluded.