Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that freedom of speech should not be used to launch “personal attacks,” referring to comedian Kunal Kamra’s recent joke on Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. In a video interview with news agency ANI, which will be broadcast Wednesday morning, Adityanath emphasized that some people misuse this freedom and introduce discord in the country.
“Sadly, a handful believe it’s their birthright, their right, to exercise this liberty and tear the nation asunder,” BJP head said in connecting with political reactions over Kamra’s remarks.
Kamra, who was attacked after making the joke, informed Mumbai Police that he doesn’t regret saying what he said and would only apologize if instructed by a court. Post the incident, he said he had received 500 threatening calls, indicating the fierce backlash for his satire.
During a performance recorded at the recently razed Habitat Comedy Club in Mumbai, Kamra did an imitation of a popular Bollywood song hit, incorporating the term ‘gaddar’ or ‘traitor.’ The reference to this word was interpreted as a dig at Shinde, who defected from the Shiv Sena in 2022 to join hands with the BJP, which eventually led to the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray government in Maharashtra.
Adityanath also targeted the Congress party, accusing it of having taken money from billionaire George Soros to manipulate the next 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He said that this foreign money was part of a larger effort to manipulate elections nationwide, comparing such activities to treason.
“The INDIA opposition block led by the Congress disseminates propaganda… foreign funds were also involved. Soros declared a long time back that he would topple the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he stated.
While the controversy is in a boil, there have also been accusations of Congress party ties with Soros-backed groups, to which the BJP alleges that such groups are functioning against Indian interests. The December period saw peak tension when the BJP leaders accused Congress officials to Parliament of their alleged connections to Soros-backed efforts.
The Congress party has refuted the claims hotly, stating that no connection exists between its leadership and any “anti-India” campaign.
Other than the Kamra row, Adityanath attacked the Karnataka government’s fresh bill reserving four percent of government contracts for Muslims. BJP is opposed to religion-based reservations as being contrary to the Constitution. Congress party, however, defends the move as part of a overall initiative to further minority communities.
The current political dialogue underscores the controversy surrounding freedom of speech and financing in Indian politics, as politicians across parties face the challenge of public opinion and national cohesion.
