Shobhaa De row: After SC stays notice, Shiv Sena says De has shown distrust towards legislature

Mumbai, April 28: After the Supreme Court on Tuesday put on hold the privilege notice issued to author Shobhaa De for criticising the Maharashtra government's decision to screen Marathi films at multiplexes during prime time, Shiv Sena said that De has shown her distrust towards the Maharashtra Legislature by approaching the Supreme Court.

Doing so despite Sena staying the breach of privilege notice issued against her was not right, the party said.

The Sena also said that it needs to be ascertained if any court had the power to stay a decision made by the Maharashtra state legislature.

"We, as representatives of the people have the right to speak for the people of the state. The Assembly speaker too found our objections to Shobhaa De's tweets valid and thus issued a breach of privilege motion against her," Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik, who had moved the motion and demanded an apology from her said.

"According to the law, she could have sought extra time beyond the eight days granted to her to explain her comments. If her reply was found to be adequate, there would not have been any action taken against her," he said.

"By approaching the Supreme Court, she has shown her distrust towards the state legislature which has the power to formulate laws for the state. Casting aspersions on the wisdom of the legislature is not right. Legal experts need to ascertain if any court has the right to stay an order which has been passed by a state legislature," he said.

He said that the issue could have been resolved if she had simply given a statement to the Legislative Assembly. "We trust the Supreme Court's judgement and will abide with whatever the Court says is correct," he said.

Shobhaa De had tweeted against the BJP-Shiv Sena government's decision to make it compulsory to screen Marathi films in multiplexes during prime time, after which the Sena moved a breach of privilege motion in the Maharashtra Assembly against here for allegedly "insulting the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, the Marathi language and the people".

"I love Marathi movies. Let me decide when and where to watch them, Devendra Fadnavis. This is nothing but dadagiri (hooliganism)," she had tweeted.

While moving the motion against her, Sarnaik had also alleged that De had tweeted insults about Marathi cuisine as well.

Later, the socialite moved the Supreme Court against the notice issued by Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Haribhau Bagade.

Irked Sena workers had also protested outside De's house in South Mumbai against her remarks.

OneIndia News

(With inputs from agencies)