Mumbai, Feb 6 (NationPress) Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra has firmly denied claims that he sought a postponement from the Maharashtra Legislative Council's Privileges Committee regarding his alleged comments about Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Kamra emphasized that the committee itself was responsible for deferring the hearing originally scheduled for February 5.

The committee had summoned Kamra along with Sushma Andhare, a leader from Shiv Sena (UBT), over purported derogatory remarks against Shinde. The committee's Chairperson, Prasad Lad, noted that both Kamra and Andhare had initially been invited to appear at 2 p.m. on February 5. However, after they indicated their inability to attend, the hearing was rescheduled for February 17.

In a detailed post on X, Kamra characterized the media reports suggesting he requested an adjournment as “incorrect.”

He stated, “I was summoned to the Privileges Committee on February 5, 2026, via a letter dated January 23, 2026, which I only received on January 29, 2026. Despite the short notice, I agreed to attend and confirmed via email on January 30, 2026, that I would be present with my lawyer. I traveled to Mumbai on Wednesday specifically for this hearing. However, I received a call around 6 p.m. informing me that the hearing was to be adjourned, followed by a letter confirming this. The correspondence makes it clear that I did not request this adjournment.”

He further remarked, “I have yet to be informed about the next hearing date, although reports suggest it may be on February 17, 2026. To ensure fairness, it is essential to clarify that I did not ask for the postponement and that I remain willing to cooperate in the proceedings. It’s noteworthy that all communications from the Committee have labeled the proceedings as ‘confidential,’ yet the notices seem to have leaked to the press, with the Committee Chairman making public statements about the case.”

Kamra added, “I have refrained from commenting on the proceedings until now, but I feel compelled to address the inaccurate reports regarding what has occurred. If this is how they manage their scheduled work, one can only wonder about their commitment to their legislative responsibilities.”

BJP MLC Pravin Darekar had previously filed a breach of privilege notice against Kamra and Andhare for their purportedly derogatory remarks about Shinde, a leader of the Shiv Sena, which is part of the BJP-led Mahayuti coalition. Known for his controversial anti-establishment views, Kamra had previously targeted Shinde in a parody song last year, indirectly labeling him a traitor. Andhare, also a rival of Shinde, supported Kamra.

During a performance at the ‘Unicontinental Mumbai’ hotel in Khar, Kamra used a modified rendition of a Hindi song from the movie “Dil To Pagal Hai” to describe Shinde's rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray in 2022. Following this performance, a group of Shiv Sena activists vandalized the hotel’s office.

Shinde's rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray in June 2022 led to a division within the Shiv Sena and the subsequent collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

On Wednesday, Chairperson Lad informed reporters that Kamra had communicated his inability to attend the initial hearing.

“Kunal Kamra has stated he cannot appear today. He has now been allocated February 17 to testify before the committee,” Lad said.

The committee has also postponed the hearings for Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushma Andhare and NCP (SP) member Suryakant More.