“The minister’s demand for police to use torture on the comedian mirrors the practices of the Taliban. What is Kamra being punished for? For exercising his right to free speech as protected by our Constitution?” he pressed.

Raut further questioned the inaction of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, asking, “Why is Fadnavis silent? Wasn’t he the one lecturing about democracy during the Kangana Ranaut incident? Can he clarify whether we are indeed living in a democracy when a minister advocates such barbaric treatment of a comedian without any just cause?”

“With Fadnavis and Shinde in power, it appears that the people of Maharashtra are not living in a democracy. Instead, we are under rulers with a Taliban mindset,” Raut asserted.

Earlier, during a press conference in Pune, Desai had called for Kamra’s arrest and suggested that he be tortured by being “put in a tyre and given prasad.” He remarked, “We have been instructed by Shinde to exercise restraint; thus, we are quiet. As Shiv Sena workers, we know how to find him wherever he is hiding, but as ministers, we face certain limitations. We want to warn the police not to test our patience—arrest him wherever he is, put him in a tyre, and give him ‘prasad.’” In this context, ‘prasad’ is a Marathi term that refers to an offering to God but is also commonly used as a euphemism for beating.

In a related development, the Madras High Court granted interim anticipatory bail to Kunal Kamra on Friday concerning jokes allegedly directed at Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde. In his bail petition, Kamra stated he relocated to Tamil Nadu from Mumbai in 2021 and has since been an “ordinary resident” of the state, expressing fears of arrest by the Mumbai police.

Kamra has faced summons from the Mumbai police twice following a performance that ignited significant political controversy, prompting supporters of Shinde-led Shiv Sena to vandalize the venue of his show. He has been charged by Khar police in Mumbai based on a complaint from Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel, accusing him of making defamatory remarks against Deputy CM Shinde.

In his testimony to the Madras High Court, Kamra stated that he moved to Villupuram district in Tamil Nadu seeking a peaceful rural life and has been residing there since February 2021. He detailed the threats he’s received, conveying his concerns that Shiv Sainiks may harm him or his family. Kamra also expressed apprehension regarding the possibility of arrest by Mumbai police leading to physical torture, should he be forced to wait for the Bombay High Court’s approval of his anticipatory bail.