Marathi rapper Raj Mungase has been granted interim protection from arrest till April 25 by a court in Thane district. A Shiv Sena activist had lodged a complaint against him over a song he uploaded on YouTube which allegedly defamed the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government. Mungase has been charged under Indian Penal Code sections 501, 504, and 505(2). The rapper has stated that his song is against the injustice faced by common people and not targeted against anyone in particular. He further added that as his video was in the public domain, his arrest was not necessary.
Marathi rapper Raj Mungase claimed that his song video was against the injustice faced by common people and was not targeted against anyone in particular. He further stated that he was raising social issues through his art form.It is not uncommon for artists to face legal consequences for their creative work, especially if their work is controversial or challenges those in power. In this case, the rapper Raj Mungase has been granted interim protection from arrest in a case where he is accused of defaming the Maharashtra government through his song video. Mungase has argued that his video song was against the injustice faced by common people and was not targeted against anyone in particular. He has also claimed that registering an offence against him is curbing the democratic rights of citizens, such as freedom of speech and expression, which are guaranteed under the Indian Constitution. Nationalist Congress Party leader and former Maharashtra minister Jitendra Awhad has shown support for Mungase by sharing his video song on Twitter and questioning the charges against him.
