Bossy Shiv Sainiks barge into sets 'Big Boss'

Bal Thackeray on Tuesday showed he is still the boss when it came to matters involving Pakistan.

When he issued a statement from Matoshri that “India’s pride had been burnt to ashes”, his men did what they are best at — in Sena style — to redeem the honour: they barged into the sets of reality TV show Bigg Boss in Lonavla and started shouting slogans against the producers and organisers. Their grouse: the show has two actors from Pakistan.

“Shiv Sena will not allow this programme to go ahead,” Thackeray said. “Do not issue us law and order threats. Shiv Sena will surely disturb the TV show.”
When the protests did not seem to affect the organisers, the activists allegedly beat up a couple of security personnel. The police have detained more than 20 Sena activists.    

“Under the guise of this programme,” Thackeray said, “Pakistani poison is spreading in India. If anyone has a bit of patriotism left, we want to tell them that the Sena will not allow this to happen.”

Party spokesperson Sanjay Raut on Monday had asked the TV channel to include Afzal Guru and Ajmal Kasab in their reality show. Ever since the channel announced that two actors from Pakistan were among the contestants, various Sena leaders have taken an anti-Pakistan position.

Sena even roped in leading playback singer Abhijeet to write an article against the show in its mouthpiece Saamna. “Such an open-door policy for Pakistani actors is totally anti-national,” the singer said in an article on the paper’s front page on Tuesday.

The fourth season of Bigg Boss, which is being hosted by Salman Khan, features Veena Malik, Pakistani actress and former girlfriend of cricketer Mohammad Asif, and Begum Nawazish Ali, a cross-dresser and chat show host on a Pakistani TV channel.

The police in the city have increased the security arrangement near the TV channel’s office in Andheri (East). “We have deployed a reserve force near the office since Monday,” Prakash Motiyal, DCP, said.

Political observers, however, feel the Sena has taken an aggressive stand because of the upcoming Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) elections.

The chief minister said the government would not tolerate such activities. “No one can take the law in their own hands,” Ashok Chavan said on Tuesday. “We have given orders to take stern action against people trying to create law and order problems.”