Author Shobhaa De at her Mumbai home, where Shiv Sena activists protested against her tweets on screening of Marathi films
Shiv Sena workers led a large protest outside the home of writer Shobhaa De today, drawing criticism from many including their ally, the BJP. The Sena, which co-governs Maharashtra with the BJP, said Ms De has "no right to live in the state" because she has objected to plans to force multiplexes to screen a Marathi film every evening.
Those plans were revised today by the state government, which has faced massive criticism from the film industry and others. It now says Marathi films can be screened any time between 12 and 9 pm.
As the Sena approached her home this afternoon, Ms De thanked the Mumbai police for moving quickly to set up barricades outside her home. "It is a personal attack on every Mumbaikar's freedom," she told NDTV on the protests.
It was her tweets on Wednesday that have enraged the Sena, a party that is easily offended and known to resort to often-violent demonstrations. "No more pop corn at multiplexes in Mumbai? Dahi misal and vada pav only. To go better with the Marathi movies at prime time," Ms De had said. "An attack on Marathi culture is an insult to us. We will give her a taste of Vada Pav," said the Sena's Sanjay Raut. Ms De tweeted a picture of the box of eats left for her today by the Sena pictures, and said, "They seem delicious. I look forward to eating them."
(Snacks delivered to writer Shobhaa De's home in protest march by Shiv Sena)
The BJP made it clear that its ally does not have its support. "Everyone is entitled to a free and fair opinion," said the BJP's Shaina NC, adding, "We believe Marathi cinema must be encouraged...but the protest is not necessary."
This morning, an editorial in the Sena mouthpiece excoriated Ms De for suggesting that the government was indulging in bullying or "dadagiri" with cinema owners and movie-goers. The report said that if Sena founder Bal Thackeray "had not done 'dadagiri', then your forefathers and her children would have been born in Pakistan and you would have been attending Page 3 parties in a burqa."