'Shameful', fume Bollywood stars on Shiv Sena goons' attack on Navy veteran

Amid flak for its actions against Kangana Ranaut and arrest of  Republic TV crew, Shiv Sena sparked another controversy with the attack on a Navy veteran for sharing a satirical WhatsApp forward. The incident led to outrage on social media, that had already been simmering with criticism of the party, and even stars from the film industry also fumed. Calling it ‘shameful’ and ‘nonsense’, some of the celebrities sought Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s resignation and an apology for the veteran.

READ: Navy Veteran's Emotional Daughter On Sena Attack: 'Police Wanted To Arrest My Father'

Preity Zinta was 'upset' about the incident and raised questions about respecting freedom of expression and veterans and asserted 'this is not okay.'

Suchitra Krishnamoorthi did not mince her words in calling the attack ‘absolutely shameful’. Asking what was happening in Mumbai, the actor wrote that her head was hurting. The Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa star lamented ‘God save India’ and called the attack on someone who had served the nation, as a ‘shame.’ 

READ:Two Shiv Sena Shakha Chiefs Arrested For Assaulting Navy Veteran After Complain

She also penned a blog, urging Shiv Sena to apologise for the attack. In another tweet, she used wordplay to state that ‘Aghadi’ had worked the ‘kulhadi’ (axe), and urged to stop the attack on ‘democracy and on people’s freedom and dignity.’’

Super 30 actor Nandish Singh Sandhu termed the attack as ‘nonsense’ and ‘shameful’. Also tagging Home Minister Amit Shah, he sought that the Indian Navy take action over the incident.

Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit invoked Shiv Sena founder, late Bal Thackeray, who ‘roared like a tiger’ and wrote how the party witnessed a ‘painful downfall’. He shared that he felt ‘scared and hopeless under the family’s rule.’  

Director Vivek Agnihotri called it a ‘death’ of freedom of expression and pointed out the irony of Bal Thackeray also being a cartoonist. 

Director RS Prasanna called it 'shameful', and highlighted how the act could an 'absolute backfire'.

Previously, Kangana Ranaut, who is already involved in a heated face-off with Shiv Sena over the demolition at her office, had vented out over the incident, and called it a ‘shame.’

Attack on Navy veteran 

Two Shiv Sena shakha chiefs have been arrested in connection with the incident, in which a 62-year-old retired Navy officer Madan Sharma, a resident of Kandivli,  was attacked. An FIR had been registered against the Shiv Sena Shakha chiefs Kamlesh Kadam and Sanjay Manjre and 8-10 of their aides, and six arrests have been made in all. 

The incident was captured on CCTV, where the goons were seen dragging and slapping the Navy veteran. The Navy veteran had shared a forward on WhatsApp of a satirical cartoon about CM Uddhav Thackeray and allies of the MVA, Sharad Pawar and Sonia Gandhi.

READ:Kangana Ranaut Reacts After Shiv Sena Goons Attack Navy Veteran, Calls It A 'Shame'

READ:'Called To Talk, Thrashed Without Listening': Ex-Navy Veteran Attacked By Shiv Sena Goons