Civil society flays ‘Urban Terrorism’ against comedian

Mumbai: Prominent citizens from different walks of life have strongly condemned the ‘urban terrorism’ tactics and vandalism by ruling party politicians targeting stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra.

“The Constitution of India guarantees every citizen’s Right to freedom of speech and opinion. No ‘law abiding’ citizen has the right to take the law in his / her own hands and indulge in vandalism. This is an act of Urban Terror,” they contended.

The statement has been signed and issued by: G. G. Parikh, Tushar Gandhi, Chitra Palekar, Darshan Mondkar, Faranaz Karabari, Feroze Mithiborwala, Guddi S L, Javed Anand, Dr. Kailash Gaikwad, Niyati, Ram Puniyani, Rajiv Shankar, Sandeep Pandey (Magsaysay Award laureate) Sanjeev Chandolkar, Shubha Prabhu-Satam, Shilpa Parulekar, Sharad Kadam, Santosh Ambekar, Suvarnarekha Jadhav, Uttam Ghosh, Vikas Naiknavare, Yashodhan Paranjpe, and more.

Deploring the extremist tactics by leaders of the ruling MahaYuti alliance in Maharashtra, the statement said that “these people lack the intellectual ability to engage in dialogue or discussion with opposing views and opinions,” plus the mindset to appreciate humour and satire.

“We sympathise with their limitations and volunteer to educate them if they have the will. We urge the CM (Devendra Fadnavis) - who has been broadcasting his resolve to use bulldozers to ‘punish’ people he accuses of rioting - and is pushing through a draconian law to punish those he brands ‘Urban Naxals’ to act promptly vis-à-vis members of his ally (Shiv Sena) who are acting as ‘urban terrorists’, destroying private property, terrorising and intimidating honest, law abiding  citizens,” urged the signatories.

They denounced the Shiv Sena’s ‘terror tactics’ displaying their ‘bravery’ by vandalising a private hotel property used by Kamra to shoot one of his shows in which he referred to the betrayal by Deputy CM Eknath Shinde in his lust for power.

Urging the Mumbai Police Commissioner to crack down on those who have taken the laws in their hands, they reminded the Police of their oath ‘to serve the Constitution and protect citizens’ - not to obey and serve the government in power.

The eminents reiterated their solidarity with Kamra and decried the heinous efforts to smother his Constitutional rights and freedom of expression - which the Maha Vikas Aghadi allies Congress-Shiv Sena (UBT)-Nationalist Congress Party (SP) also vociferously endorsed.

The plea came even as Mumbai  Police summoned Kamra, 36, following multiple complaints lodged after he recited a poem with ‘gaddar’ (traitor) jibes pointed at Shinde, without taking his name, but ignited a huge political fracas, and the Shiv Sena baying for the comedian’s scalp.