Kunal Kamra row: BMC begins demolition of venue where comedian made jokes on Eknath Shinde
Mumbai, Mar 24 (PTI): The studio in Khar in which stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra filmed his show containing the controversial "traitor" jibe at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was on Monday demolished by Mumbai's civic body for alleged building violations.
The action by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation came a day after Habitat studio and Unicontinental hotel where it is located were ransacked late Sunday night by irate Shiv Sainiks.
The temporary shed and other structures comprising the studio, which was created in the basement of the hotel, has been razed, a civic official said.
"It was removed as there is no civic permission to create a studio in the basement. The BMC will check the hotel to see if everything is as per the allowed plan," the official said.
Earlier in the day, Habitat Studio announced they were shutting down after Shiv Sena workers vandalised its premises.
In an Instagram post, the studio said, "We are shocked, worried and extremely broken by the recent acts of vandalism targeting us."
The studio said artists are "solely responsible for their views and creative choices" and it has never been involved in the content performed by them.
"But recent events have made us rethink about how we get blamed and targeted every time almost like we are the proxy for the performer", it said.
"We are shutting down till we figure out the best way to provide a platform for free expression without putting ourselves and our property in jeopardy. We invite all artists, audience and stakeholders to discuss and share their views free and request your guidance so that we also respect the performers’ rights," the note further read.
In a previous post, Habitat Studio issued an apology to "all those hurt by this video".
"The Habitat is not involved in the making of the recent video of Kunal Kamra and it does not endorse the views expressed," it said.
Habitat Studio, where Kamra's show was held, is the same venue where the controversial 'India's Got Latent' show was filmed and led to major controversy last month.
Maharashtra | BMC cracks down on illegal structures at Habitat Studio in Mumbai amid comedian Kunal Kamra row; demolition underway.#KunalKamra #HabitatStudio pic.twitter.com/v8cVjvDyfn
— Organiser Weekly (@eOrganiser) March 24, 2025
#BREAKING
— Daily Perpetual (@dailyperpetual) March 24, 2025
Mumbai: Amid a row over stand-up comedian #KunalKamra's alleged defamatory remarks against Maharashtra Deputy CM #EknathShinde, #kunalkamra 's Studio likely to be razed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
BC Officials have reached with hammers🔨 pic.twitter.com/N7btAfs9nG
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Dallewal has not ended indefinite fast, says farmer leader
Chandigarh, Mar 29 (PTI): Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal has not ended his indefinite fast even though he drank a glass of water after farmers detained last week by the state police were released from different jails, farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar said on Saturday.
The Punjab government on Friday told the Supreme Court that Dallewal accepted water and broke his fast.
Countering the Punjab government's claims, Kohar said on Saturday Dallewal had made it clear he would take water only after all the farmers are released.
"And Dallewal drank a glass of water after farmer leaders were released," said Kohar, a close aide of Dallewal. "We want to make it clear that a false impression was being given that Dallewal has ended his indefinite fast. His hunger strike continues."
Punjab Advocate General Gurminder Singh told the apex court on Friday they dispersed on March 19 the farmers protesting at Khanauri and Shambhu border points with Haryana, and opened the roads and highways that were blocked due to the sit-ins. Protesting farmers and some of their leaders were also detained by the Punjab Police on that day.
Another farmer leader, Kaka Singh Kotra, also said on Saturday when Dallewal came to know about the detention of farmers, he refused to take water till they were all released.
He took water after the farmers were released, said Kotra.
Dallewal (70) is a senior leader of the joint forum of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha. He began his indefinite hunger strike on November 26 last year to press the Centre to accept their demands including a legal guarantee to provide Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops.
After the Centre invited the farmer leaders for talks in January, Dallewal had started taking medical aid at the Khanauri protest site but did not end his fast.
Several farmer leaders including Sarwan Singh Pandher, Abhimanyu Kohar, Kaka Singh Kotra and other leaders, detained during he March 19 police action, were released on Friday.
Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Pandher was released from Muktsar jail while Kohar, Kotra and some other farmer leaders were released from Patiala central jail.
After their release, they met Dallewal in the hospital on Friday.
The farmer leaders were detained on March 19 when they were returning from a meeting with a central delegation led by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Chandigarh.
The meeting was organised to discuss the farmers' demands, especially the MSP guarantee. As the departing farmers entered Mohali after the meeting, they were met with heavy barricading and some of their leaders were detained.
Police had evicted farmers and had dismantled temporary structures from the Shambhu and Khanauri border points. Vehicular traffic had resumed on the Shambhu-Ambala and Sangrur-Jind highways.
Several farmers, who were part of the Shambhu and Khanauri protests, have claimed that their belongings including trolleys were missing, adding that they might have been stolen.
