What is this, Shobhaa aunty, asks Shiv Sena

Mumbai, April 9
The Shiv Sena on Thursday attacked author Shobhaa De for her criticism of the government's proposal to make multiplexes exhibit Marathi movies during prime time.

"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.
Mumbai, April 9
The Shiv Sena staged a noisy protest on Thursday outside celebrity author Shobhaa De's residence, after she attacked a move to force multiplexes to show Marathi movies in the prime time slot.

Carrying banners as well as 'vada-pav' and 'misal', the Sainkis shouted slogans against De.

The protesters condemned De's comments opposing the Bharatiya Janata Party-Sena government's diktat to all multiplexes in Maharashtra to daily exhibit Marathi movies between 6 and 9 p.m.

Police personnel deployed in large numbers outside De's residence in the upmarket Cuffe Parade in south Mumbai prevented the Sainiks from entering the building premises.

De told journalists that she was overwhelmed by the support she received for her tweets on the social media and elsewhere.

On the protests, she said she was not at all worried.

"I have full faith in Mumbai Police... Police barricades are up... I am feeling perfectly calm and safe... Thank You, Mumbai Police.

"I will not be a party to this sort of politics. I will take legal advice and take action as per the law," she later tweeted.

Shiv Sena legislator Pratap Sarnaik has sought an apology and moved a notice for breach of privilege in the assembly.

Sarnaik accused De of "insulting the chief minister (Devendra Fadnavis) and the people of the state".

De on Wednesday tweeted: "Now a privilege motion demanding an apology from me? Come on! I am a proud Maharashtrian and love Marathi films. Always have. Always will!"

"No more pop corn at multiplexes in Mumbai? Dahi missal and vada pav only. To go better with the Marathi movies at prime time," De later tweeted.

On April 7, De's tweets were: "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."