Marathi films row: Shiv Sena protests outside “Shobhaa aunty's” residence; author thanks cops

Mumbai, Apr 9: The Shiv Sena on Thursday protested outside author Shobhaa De's residence in Mumbai for criticising Maharashtra government's proposal to make multiplexes exhibit Marathi movies during prime time.

Meanwhile, Mumbai Police barricaded the author's residence. Following protest the author took to Twitter to thank Mumbai Police for ensuring her safety and said more such groups are going to protest outside her house.

Earlier in the day Shiv Sena attacked De for her criticism of the government's proposal.

"What is this, Shobhaa aunty?" the party asked sarcastically, taking umbrage at her remarks calling the government's move "dictatorial" in tweets over the past couple of days. These have created a political furore in the state.

Senior Shiv Sena legislator Pratap Sarnaik demanded an apology from De and even moved a notice in the state assembly for breach of privilege of the house over her comments.

The party regretted that words like "dadagiri" were used by De, who is also a Maharashtrian, and that she wanted freedom to decide when and where to watch Marathi movies.

"She also wondered whether now only vada-pav and missal would be available in multiplexes instead of popcorn...Shabaash! A great way to repay the people of the state where you were born! It was understandable if someone else had made remarks, but a Marathi woman doing it is regretful," the Shiv Sena said in an editorial in the party mouthpiece Saamana on Thursday.

Taking a dig at De's 'dadagiri', the party pointed out that in the past if Chhattrapati Shivaji and late party founder-patriarch Bal Thackeray had not shown 'dadagiri', all of Shobhaa aunty's predecessors and descendents would be born in Pakistan and probably attended Page 3 parties sporting 'burqas'!

Questioning filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt's reaction that the government proposal was with an eye on vote-bank politics, the Sena retorted: "So what? If we don't please the Marathis, should we pander to your Owaisi? You don't object when they pamper Muslim vote-banks but point fingers on the question of Marathis."

However, endorsing De's suggestion, the Sena urged the government to announce that only vada-pav and missal would be served in multiplexes as "its tangy taste will help soothe her wagging tongue which has insulted Maharashtra's food culture".

Terming her views as "an insult" to the people and cuisine of the state, the Sena said stuffing De's mouth with tasty vada-pav could mark the launch of the prime time slot proposal for Marathi movies.

OneIndia News

(With inputs from IANS)