Mumbai, March 24: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) carried out demolition drive at The Habitat Studio, located at the Unicontinental Hotel in Khar, on Monday, citing violations of civic rules.

The incident assumes significance because it is the same venue that hosted stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra’s show, during which he made controversial remarks against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

BMC officials, armed with hammers arrived at the Habitat Studio, this noon, to execute the demolition. While details of the violations are yet to be disclosed, sources indicate that the studio was allegedly operating in an encroached area between two hotels.

This action follows the vandalism of The Habitat Studio by Shiv Sena workers after Kamra mocked Shinde, calling him a “traitor.” So far, 12 people, including Shiv Sena leader Rrahul Kanal, have been taken into judicial custody for the attack.

Since BMC elections are due, the civic body is currently helmed by an IAS officer, with the ruling coalition exerting influence over its operations.

In response to the recent events, The Habitat Studio announced its decision to shut down indefinitely. The management clarified that they are not responsible for the views expressed by artists performing at their venue.

“We are shocked, worried, and extremely broken by the recent acts of vandalism targeting us. Artists are solely responsible for their views and creative choices. We have never been involved in the content performed by any artist, but the recent events have made us rethink how we get blamed and targeted every time, almost as if we are a proxy for the performer,” the studio’s statement read.

The management further stated that they would remain closed until they figure out a way to provide a platform for free expression without jeopardising their safety.

Additionally, The Habitat Studio distanced itself from Kamra’s latest video, stating that it was not involved in its production and does not endorse the views expressed in it. The studio also issued a public apology to those who were offended by the comedian’s remarks.

The controversy began when Kamra uploaded a video on his official YouTube channel featuring a performance in which he used a modified version of a song from the Bollywood film ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’, replacing the lyrics to take a dig at Eknath Shinde.

The segment in which Kamra sang, “Meri nazar se tum dekho to gaddar nazar wo aaye. Haaye” was met with cheers from the audience but left the ruling Shiv Sena furious.

Mumbai: Mumbai stand-up comedian Kunal Kamran’s remarks against Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde have raised the temperature across Maharashtra. There was also a tussle between the opposition and the ruling party in the Maharashtra Assembly over this remark, which led to an uproar in the House.

During the uproar, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis strongly condemned Kunal Kamran’s remarks and said that the people of Maharashtra have told in 2024 who is the traitor. Who has the legacy of Balasaheb Thackeray? Eknath Shinde is the real successor, that’s why he is the Shiv Sena chief. He said that if Kunal Kamra writes poems and songs against us, we will welcome him with applause, but if someone insults us with a betel nut, action will be taken against him. The opposition has opposed this.

On freedom of expression, Fadnavis said that everyone has the right to freedom of expression. He said that if we look at Kamra’s history and past, we will find that he has made very low level comments and remarks on the Prime Minister and the Chief Justice. In such a situation, the trust in the judiciary will be shaken. His only aim is to gain fame by creating controversy. The way Kamra has targeted Eknath Shinde is a very low level comedy. Kamra should know who is the real hero and who is the traitor in 2024. Is it above the people of Maharashtra? The people of Maharashtra have shown who is the inheritor of Balasaheb’s ideas. We may have differences, but respect for the leaders of the state is important.

If someone says low level things against the leaders, people stand in front of us and support him. Did they hand over Kamra? If you study the Constitution, you never make such comments or criticize us, but if someone takes such action after handing over, action will be taken against him.

New Delhi, March 24: Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain on Monday condemned the demolition of a two-story house in Nagpur, owned by Fahim Khan and said this bulldozer action is not just on houses but against the very principles of the democratic system that our nation is built upon.

The Municipal Corporation of Nagpur on Monday carried out a bulldozer operation at the residence of Fahim Khan, the alleged mastermind behind the March 17 violence that erupted in response to Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s (VHP) demand to remove Aurangzeb’s tomb in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

Civic authorities had demolished the structure after Khan, who is in custody, failed to meet a deadline for removing the unauthorised construction.

Hussain condemned the action, emphasising that the government cannot simply destroy property without legal proceedings.

“No one, not even the government, has the right to decide whether someone is guilty or not,” he told IANS.

“The courts are the ones that should determine guilt, and punishment should follow their verdict. What we’re seeing here is a disturbing trend — bulldozers being used not just against houses but against the democracy system that our nation is built upon. This overreach is seen wherever the BJP is in power, from Uttar Pradesh to Maharashtra. It undermines the democratic system and the rule of law,” he added.

The Congress MP further came to the defence of stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra after his satirical video allegedly targeting Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde ignited controversy.

The video, which aired following Kamra’s performance at the Habitat Comedy Club in Khar, saw the comedian using a modified version of a popular Bollywood song from ‘Dil To Pagal Hai.’ “Meri nazar se tum dekho toh, gaddar nazar wo aaye. Haaye,” Kunal Kamra said during his show which was understood to be a jibe at Shinde.

In response to the backlash, Hussain took a strong stance, questioning the government’s commitment to free expression.

“The Prime Minister of this country constantly speaks about freedom of speech, freedom of expression, and the right to criticise,” he added.

“If this is truly the case, then the government must step up, defend creative voices, and address the atmosphere of fear they’ve created in Maharashtra after assuming power. Whether it’s in Nagpur, Mumbai, or elsewhere, it’s clear what kind of environment they aim to create,” he said.

Hussain further reacted on a recent statement made by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar, who suggested that amendments to the Constitution might be necessary while discussing a 4 per cent quota for Muslims in public contracts.

Hussain responded by clarifying that the statement had been misunderstood. He pointed out that Shivakumar was referring to the judicial rulings that often require changes to laws, which could prompt constitutional amendments.

“This is not about changing the Constitution itself, but rather making necessary adjustments in response to evolving legal interpretations,” Hussain concluded.