'You left your real party to'...: Jaya Bachchan slams Eknath Shinde and supports Kunal Kamra

Elder stateswoman actress and politician Jaya Bachchan has made her views heard regarding the current controversy surrounding stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Speaking to the media at Parliament, she asked for the curbing of free speech in the nation. "If there is a restriction on speaking,

'What will happen to you?'

You are anyway in a bad plight. There is a restriction on you.". You would be instructed to talk only on this and nothing else, that do not interview Jaya Bachchan," she stated. The row broke out after Kunal Kamra made humorous remarks about Eknath Shinde on his show. A group from the Shiv Sena (Shinde camp) retaliated by vandalizing a Mumbai comedy club.

Where is freedom of speech?

Both Kamra and the vandals have an FIR registered against them. The actress didn't mince words when speaking about the issue. Jaya Bachchan came straight at Eknath Shinde 's political change, stating, "Where is freedom of speech? There is freedom of action only when there is a ruckus beat up the opposition, rape women, murder them. What else? She accused Eknath Shinde saying that he left his real party and formed another party for power.

'Isn't that an insult of Balasaheb?'

" Her observation struck chord with many others who feel curbing free speech is an on-going problem. Kamra spoke about a mimicry song by Dil To Pagal Hai on which he took a veiled jibe at Shinde's political actions. Though Kamra did not single out Shinde's name anywhere, his implication was obvious enough to elicit vehement responses. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant has also defended Kamra, asserting that the comedian’s words reflect the views of many in the opposition.

'Every word said by him is correct'

"Every word said by him is correct. He merely put it in poetic words," Sawant said.The vandalism at the comedy club was condemned all over with people arguing that answering satire with violence is not fair. The case is now under investigation.