Maharashtra Legislative Council to issue show cause notice to Kunal Kamra for remarks on deputy CM

The Maharashtra Legislative Council’s Privileges Committee has decided to issue a show cause notice to comedian Kunal Kamra for his satirical remarks about Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, The Hindu reported on Tuesday.

The decision was passed unanimously by the 11-member committee, its chairperson, Bharatiya Janata Party MLC Prasad Lad, told the newspaper.

A show cause notice will also be issued to Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) spokesperson Sushma Andhare.

The committee decided to issue the notice to Kamra for allegedly mocking Shinde, and insulting the Maharashtra legislature and the state as a whole. It will also send a notice to Andhare for expressing support for Kamra and making similar remarks, The Hindu reported.

The judicial wing of the committee is currently reviewing the proposal, and the notices are expected to be sent by the end of the week.

A breach of privilege motion against Kamra and Andhare had been submitted during the Budget session by BJP MLC Pravin Darekar. Legislative Council Chairman Ram Shinde then forwarded the notice to the Privileges Committee in June, PTI reported.

Recipients of the notice are required to submit a written response within 15 days. If they fail to do so, a second and then a third notice may follow. After three ignored notices, the committee has the authority to direct the police to make an...

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