Historian Ramachandra Guha welcomed Kunal Kamra. He took to social media to talk about the stand-up comedian’s “backbone”.
“Just spent some time with this Bengaluru visitor. His spine being straighter than mine may not be entirely due to age difference,” he wrote.
To understand the connections, we need to know their history.
Guha has been one of the most consistent critics of the BJP-led government in India. His opposition has intensified since 2014. He challenged the government through academic writing, public protests, and open letters.
In 2019, Bengaluru police detained him during a CAA protest. Images of him being dragged away while holding a poster of Gandhi went viral. He described the administration as a paranoid and fearful regime.
Read also | Kunal Kamra tells Bombay HC on Sahyog: ‘Worse situation when…’
That same year, he was among 49 prominent citizens who wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Their letter raised alarm over the growing number of lynching mobs across the country. Sedition charges were raised against him in Bihar. It was later closed.
At the end of 2025, he criticized the Cheetah Project as a disaster. He accused the government of completely ignoring scientific evidence.
But he is not only a critic of the BJP. Guha has also repeatedly challenged the Congress party. He argued that the continued dominance of the Gandhi family prevented a credible opposition from emerging. They believe their presence is actually helping the BJP.
The comedian who refuses to apologize
Kunal Kamra has been fighting legal and political battles for years. His conflicts with the establishment escalated sharply in 2025 and 2026.
In April, he appeared before the Privileges Committee of the Maharashtra Legislative Council. A parody song from his show reportedly called Deputy CM Eknath Shinde a traitor.
The committee wanted an unconditional apology. Kamra refused. He said an insincere apology would set a terrible precedent for artistic freedom.
Read also | Kunal Kamra in trouble again? T-shirt sparks fresh row, BJP promises police action
He is also the lead proponent challenging the government’s changes to IT rules of 2023. The rules would allow the state to flag content it deems false or misleading. The Bombay High Court struck down the rules as unconstitutional in September 2024. The Supreme Court issued a notice to Kamra in March 2026 while examining the government’s appeal.
In November 2025, he posted a photo purportedly wearing a T-shirt mocking the RSS. BJP and Shiv Sena leaders have threatened police action. Kamra replied that the country was governed by the constitution, not by outrage.
Habitat was vandalized in March 2025 after his Naya Bharat performance. The BMC then conducted a demolition drive in the premises. Critics called it political revenge.
Kamra also continues to face Supreme Court contempt charges over tweets about the judiciary in 2020. He has refused to apologize for those as well.
Reaction on social networks
Reactions on social media were mixed. Some users chose strong words to slam the encounter.
“I hope it’s worth spending time with the joker to accumulate enough content to write your next comic history book, as always,” the user wrote.
“You should be ashamed of yourself for messing with a brash, uncouth man! But then birds of a feather flock together! Where is Prakash Raj?”
Another user wrote: “What a fall!!! Mr. Guha,… Between spine and brain. Hard to guess who lost their power.”
“A straight spine is no use if the brain is rotten, lewd and twisted,” chimed in another.
Read also | Delhi CM warns Kamra can play ‘at your own risk’, comedian responds
However, some stood by the side of the controversial duo.
“He has the courage to stand up to the regime,” wrote one of them.
“It’s pretty unlikely you’ll find anyone with a backbone these days in this world of spineless species, and it’s good to see you with someone with a straight spine. And yours too, though not in shape, but straight as a line with your critics!” another user commented.
“Greetings to you both, fearless people with straight spines in today’s India… a rare breed,” another user wrote.
Disclosure: Social media posts have been lightly edited for grammar, clarity and readability while maintaining the original context.
