Mumbai, Feb 4 (IANS) Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra has been given February 17 to appear in person before the Maharashtra Legislative Council’s Privileges Committee in connection with an alleged insult to Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the panel’s chairman Prasad Lad said on Wednesday.
Kamra is facing a breach of privilege motion over a comic song that went viral during the budget session last year, in which he made a tangential reference to Shinde as a “traitor”, triggering sharp reactions from the ruling Mahayuti and debates in both Houses of the legislature.
BJP legislator Pravin Darekar had moved the motion, alleging that the remarks insulted a “popular leader” and amounted to a breach of the House’s privilege.
Shiv Sena UBT Deputy led Sushma Andhare and Kunal Kamra, who were summoned for ‘insulting’ Eknath Shinde, communicated with the legislature office and expressed their inability to attend the hearing on Thursday.
Andhare informed that, as she has been busy with campaigning for Zilla Parishad and touring in rural areas, it’s not possible to attend the hearing now. She also requested that the committee give the next date for the hearing.
On the other hand, Kunal Kamra communicated that he could not attend the hearing now, and his counsel will represent him.
Lad told reporters that Kamra informed the committee that he would not be able to come to Mumbai for the first mandatory hearing.
“Kunal Kamra has communicated his inability to appear today. He has now been given February 17 to depose before the committee,” Lad said.
The committee has also rescheduled the hearings of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushma Andhare and NCP (SP) worker Suryakant More.
Lad said More, who was to depose on Wednesday, cited traffic on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and has been given February 16, while Andhare, who said she was busy with Zilla Parishad election campaigning, has also been asked to appear on February 17.
The privileges committee of the legislative council accepted the request of Kunal Kamra and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushma Andhare to give next date for hearing in a case related to an alleged insult to deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde and thereby summoned them on February 17.
The chairman said the committee is required to grant three mandatory hearings, and Wednesday was the first, which all three missed.
“Prima facie, they have committed an offence and insulted our deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde. Once they depose before the committee, we will show them their videos, and the hearing will be recorded,” Lad said.
Separate breach of privilege motions have been moved against Andhare for a video supporting Kamra and against More over alleged derogatory remarks against Legislative Council chairman Ram Shinde.
–IANS
sj/dan
