Mumbai comedy club, which hosted Kunal Kamra and Samay Raina, is shutting down

Due to his current stand-up act "Naya Bharat," comedian Kunal Kamra has been criticized by Shiv Sena members as a "traitor" for allegedly referencing Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde. The Habitat Comedy Club in Mumbai's Khar neighborhood, where the comic had performed, was vandalized by Sena members shortly after the Kunal Kamra's standup 'Naya Bharat' faced backlash from Shiv Sena workers, branding him a 'traitor' for comments on Deputy CM Eknath Shinde. Footage of the performance went viral on social media.

When podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia made crude comments while filming "India's Got Latent," the venue made headlines earlier this year as well. After Allahbadia's remarks regarding "parents' sex" provoked outrage and prompted police action in some areas, the argument broke out. Multiple complaints were filed against Allahbadia, Samay Raina, and others participating with the performance.

The Habitat released a statement on Monday after being looted by Sena employees, asserting that they only give artists a place to perform and encourage creative discourse. "To resolve conflicts, we advocate for productive dialogue rather than devastation. We do not support hate or harm of any kind. Violence and destruction undermine the very spirit of art and dialogue," the Habitat said in a post on their Instagram page.