Why Kunal Kamra refused to apologise to Maharashtra panel over Eknath Shinde parody: ‘Would set a terrible precedent’

Kamra appeared before the Vidhan Bhavan Privileges Committee on Thursday to record his statement. Committee chairman Prasad Lad said the complaint had been filed by BJP MLC Pravin Darekar.

“Today was Kunal Kamra’s 3rd or 4th hearing. Today we had to record his testimony. In this matter, Pravin Darekar had filed a complaint against him. Today was the time to cross-question him. Kunal Kamra and Pravin Darekar were cross-questioned. Twenty-four questions were asked to Kunal Kamra. In which he tried to explain his mistakes. He tried to ask about the rights of the Constitution. He tried to ask about the rights of the privilege committee,” Lad said.

Responding to this, Kamra shared a detailed post online, doubling down on his refusal to apologise.

“Respected sir maybe there was a communication issue, but the way I remember the last 3 questions of my cross examination this evening – Do you feel remorse – No. Are you sorry about what you said- No. If you tender an unconditional apology this matter will be looked at differently – No I can’t as the apology would not be sincere. Also it would set a terrible precedent for other artists & their freedom,” he wrote on X.

Check out the post:

Respected sir maybe there was a communication issue but the way I remmeber the last 3 questions of my cross examination this evening –
Do you feel remorse – No
Are you sorry about what you said- No
If you tender an unconditional apology this matter will be looked at differently… https://t.co/mrXP94WcCd

— Kunal Kamra (@kunalkamra88) April 9, 2026

His response quickly gained traction online, with users weighing in. One person commented, “Freedom of speech is only as strong as the people willing to face the discomfort of defending it,” while another described it as “Typical Kamra Style Answers.”

The row dates back to a performance at the Habitat Comedy Club last year, where Kamra, through a parody of a song from Dil Toh Pagal Hai, referred to Shinde as a “traitor” in the context of his 2022 rebellion that split the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray. The remark angered Shinde’s supporters, some of whom later vandalised the venue.

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