#Diktatwala lands Shobhaa De in trouble; Author may face jail term if her tweets found offensive

Updated: Thursday, April 9, 2015, 10:38 [IST]

Mumbai, April 8: A Shiv Sena MLA on Wednesday gave a privilege motion in Maharashtra Assembly against columnist Shobha De and sought an apology from her for criticising Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis.

Criticising Maha government's decision to make it mandatory for multiplexes to screen Marathi films during the prime time slot, she had tweeted, "Devendra Fadnavis is at it again!!!From beef to movies. This is not the Maharashtra we all love! Nako!Nako! Yeh sab roko!I love Marathi movies. Let me decide when and where to watch them, Devendra Fadnavis. This is nothing but Dadagiri (sic)."

Sena legislator Pratap Sarnaik, through point of propriety, in the Legislative Assembly said that the novelist had hurt the sentiments of the House which had whole-heartedly welcomed culture minister Vinod Tawde's announcement that screening of Marathi films would be made mandatory during the prime time slot.

Similarly the screening of a short film on Dadasaheb Phalke, the father of Indian cinema, in theatres before start of a film was also a good move, he said.

[Beef ban in Maharashtra will not be extended to goats]

Sarnaik said that in her tweet, De had remarked that popcorns will be replaced by 'dahi misal' and 'vada pav' in multiplexes.

He then sought to move a breach of privilege motion against her. Speaker Haribhau Bagde asked Sarnaik to submit the notice to him first.

In a controversial move, the BJP-Shiv Sena state government yesterday decided to make it mandatory for multiplexes across the state to screen Marathi films during the prime time slot between 6 and 9 PM.

The decision will be implemented after amending the existing rules, Tawde had announced in the state Assembly.