Mumbai,February 10: In a stern warning to the Shiv Sena, Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan tonight said his government would withdraw the security cover for party leader Uddhav Thackeray if he continued to instigate his party men.
The threat by Chavan came against the backdrop of Shiv Sena activists targeting more theatres and damaging cinema screens in Mumbai that are planning to show Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s new film My Name Is Khan due for release this Friday.
After the warning, Uddhav, the executive president of Shiv Sena, is reported to have responded that his security could be withdrawn by the state government.
“We have told them(Sena) that we’ll withdraw security of all those people who are involved in those activities. I have already withdrawn the security of all Shiv Sena leaders, and if required, I will also withdraw the security of Uddhav Thackeray,” he told CNN-IBN.
Chavan’s tough talk came close on the heels of police security for three Shiv Sena leaders who protested against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s visit to the city last Friday being withdrawn. The leaders were Ravindra Waikar, MLA and BMC, Standing Committee Chairman Bala Sawant, MLA and Anil Para, MLC.
Chavan also declared his government will not tolerate Sena’s ‘bullying tactics’ and will spare nobody who came in the way of the release of Shah Rukh’s film.
“There is no question of what Shiv Sena feels about it. I have assured the people of Maharashtra that we will take strong action against anybody who will take law into their hands,” he said.
“For the Sena, it has become a matter of prestige, they are losing ground politically. So a non-issue has been picked up by them to create terror in the city, but we will not, under any circumstances, tolerate this,” he added.
200 activist arrested :
Over 200 Shiv Sena activists, some of them office-bearers, were today arrested for demonstrating and damaging cinema screens to protest against Shah Rukh Khan, as the party vowed to stall release of the actor’s new film My Name Is Khan, unless he apologised for his IPL remarks.
Screens of Metro theatre in south Mumbai and Huma Cinema at Kanjurmarg were cut with sharp instruments such as blade by the Sena workers who entered the halls as regular viewers by buying tickets, police said.
At suburban Mulund, the glasses of Mehul cinema were broken in stone pelting by the protesters, who shouted slogans against Khan and the film releasing on February 12.
The party’s activists gathered outside Fame cinema in Pantnagar and R-City Mall at Ghatkopar and tore down posters of the actor and the movie.
“We have arrested 206 Shiv Sena activists. It included preventive arrests. Many of them were rounded up for protesting outside the cinema theatres,” additional police commissioner Ritesh Kumar told PTI.
The Sena renewed its threat not to allow the release of My Name Is Khan unless the Bollywood star retracts his statement favouring inclusion of Pakistani players in IPL-3.
“We will not allow the movie to be released. Shah Rukh should first apologise to Balasaheb (Thackeray) and then only we can talk with him,” Sena leader Manohar Joshi said.
Describing the actor as a ‘traitor’, the protesters asked the theatre-owners to stop the advance bookings of the film or face dire consequences.
Most of those arrested have been booked for rioting, unlawful assembly and criminal intimidation, police said.
In wake of the Sena intensifying protests against Khan, leaves of the city policemen have been cancelled to ensure their full presence.
To further strengthen security, personnel from State Reserve Police Force and Home Guards will be deployed at the 63 theatres that will screen the film here.