Published 10:56 IST, September 12th 2020
'Shameful', fume Bollywood stars on Shiv Sena goons' attack on Navy veteran
Bollywood stars fumed over Shiv Sena goons' attack on a Navy veteran and termed it 'Shameful'. They also sought strict action and CM Thackeray's resignation.
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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.
Preity Zinta was 'upset' about the incident and raised questions about respecting freedom of expression and veterans and asserted 'this is not okay.'
Goons in Mumbai beat a 62 year old retd 🇮🇳 Indian Navy Veteran black & blue cuz he forwarded a political cartoon on what’s app. Seriously ? What happened to freedom of speech? What happened to respecting our veterans? Very upset & sad to hear this.This is NOT OK. #NavyVeteran
— Preity G Zinta (@realpreityzinta) September 11, 2020
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.’
attack on #navalveteran by political goons. Absolutely absolutely shameful. My heart hurts - what the hell is happening in #Mumbai . These are officers who have given their life in service of this nation. Shame. OMG! God save #India 🙏🙏🙏
— Suchitra Krishnamoorthi (@suchitrak) September 11, 2020
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.’’
#SHIVSENA India demands an apology https://t.co/RhqU7Yqt8N
— Suchitra Krishnamoorthi (@suchitrak) September 11, 2020
#SenaAttacksVeteran Aghadi ne maari apne hi pair pe kulhadi. Unforgivable. Enough of these attacks on democracy. Enough of attacks on peoples freedom & dignity. Enough. No more!
— Suchitra Krishnamoorthi (@suchitrak) September 11, 2020
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.’
Once upon a time there was #BalasahebThackeray who roared like a tiger and not one person could raise a finger at him. He was the father of this state, that today feels scared and hopeless under his very family's rule. It is a painful downfall.#SenaAttacksVeteran
— Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) September 11, 2020
Director Vivek Agnihotri called it a ‘death’ of freedom of expression and pointed out the irony of Bal Thackeray also being a cartoonist.
A 66 yr old Naval veteran was beaten up by Goondas for sharing a cartoon on WA in the city of Balasaheb who was a cartoonist himself.
— Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) September 11, 2020
Watch “Death of FoE in Maharashtra” | #10MinDebate https://t.co/trEJ0NeRdr
Irony is that Balasaheb, father and leader of naughty Sainiks was a cartoonist himself. https://t.co/Pku432eFOO
— Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) September 11, 2020
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.
10:56 IST, September 12th 2020