Fresh tussle between Shiv Sena and BJP over Marathi films
Jumping into the ongoing discourse to uphold importance of Marathi, Shiv Sena leader and Minister for Marathi Language, Uday Samant on Monday announced a meeting on July 29 with multiplex owners to discuss the issues concerning Marathi films, to be chaired by Deputy CM Eknath Shinde. However, the meeting had to be cancelled within hours as state's Cultural Affairs Minister and Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar is presently abroad.
'To address the difficulties faced in securing screens for Marathi films in multiplex theatres in Maharashtra, an important meeting has been organised under the guidance of Hon. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde Saheb, involving the Marathi Film Organisation, the Cultural Department, and representatives of multiplexes,' announced Samant on social media website X. He posted a letter announcing the meeting at the Mantralaya office of Shinde.
The Cultural Affairs Ministry, under whom the issue lies, is headed by BJP's Ashish Shelar. 'We have no knowledge about the meeting as our minister is abroad,' said an official from the minister's office. Hours after the announcement, the meeting was cancelled.
Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) had aggressively taken up the issue of lack of screens for Marathi films. It had even led to violent altercations at some places and multiplexes. Amid the ongoing political climate where the estranged cousins Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray seem to be coming together on the issue of Marathi, the ruling Shiv Sena too seems to be entering into the fray, ahead of local body polls.
When contacted, Sushant Shelar–actor and chief of Shiv Sena's film wing called Shiv Chitrapat Sena–said that his party has always stood for Marathi films and there is no political angle to the demand. 'Our demand is that a screen should be reserved for Marathi films in multiplexes. We have raised the issue before and we will continue raising it,' he said.
He added that the meeting on Tuesday was cancelled since the minister was not available.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
14 minutes ago
- Time of India
J&K remains Pakistan-India flashpoint amid rising war fears: PDP President Mehbooba Mufti
PDP President Mehbooba Mufti, addressing a press conference in Jammu, advocated a dialogue with the people of J&K before starting talks with Pakistan, stating that the BJP's rigid policy has only 'silenced the people' of the territory where a 'volcano is building' that needs to be addressed. 'The developments of August 5, 2019 when New Delhi revoked special status of Kashmir under Article 370 and bifurcated the territory into two Union Territories destroyed J&K on the pretext of improving the situation and restoring peace. People were promised rivers of milk and honey,' Mufti said. Show more Show less
Hans India
14 minutes ago
- Hans India
PM Modi to inaugurate Bengaluru's Yellow Line Metro on Aug 10
BJP leader Tejasvi Surya on Sunday announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will will visit Bengaluru and inaugurate the Yellow Line Metro on August 10. Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for Metro Phase-3, he said. In a post on 'X', Surya said, "Hon. PM Sri @narendramodi Ji's visit to Bengaluru on August 10 will be a landmark moment for Bengaluru South. He will not only inaugurate the long-awaited Yellow Line Metro operations but also lay the foundation stone for Metro Phase 3 - a project that received Cabinet approval within the first 100 days of his third term." He said the Yellow Line will cater to close to eight lakh riders and the 'infamous Silk Board jam' will be addressed greatly. Public transport is the only option to reduce traffic congestion. "Together, these projects will benefit nearly 25 lakh people in Bengaluru South," he said. The MP said by inaugurating it on August 10, the Yellow Line Metro project would meet the August 15 deadline. Surya said this could happen because of Modi's personal insistence that this must be open to public without any further delay. Surya, who is also the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) national president, quoted Union Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who said on 'X', "I am pleased to announce that the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India has kindly agreed to inaugurate 19.15 km Yellow Line from RV Road to Bommasandra of Bangaluru metro with 16 stations at the cost of Rs 5,056.99 crore and lay the foundation stone of 44.65 km of Bangalore phase-3 at the cost of Rs 15,611 Crore on 10th August 2025." Surya had staged a demonstration to open the Yellow Line of Bengaluru Metro Rail project recently.
The Hindu
14 minutes ago
- The Hindu
ECI's neutrality questionable; Opposition wants discussion in Parliament: Gaurav Gogoi
Senior Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi on Sunday (August 3, 2025) alleged that the neutrality of the Election Commission is questionable, which is why the Opposition parties want a discussion on the revision of the voter list in Parliament. Also Read | SIR exercise is 'an insult to migrant workers and gross interference in right of electorate in T.N.': Chidambaram Speaking to reporters before the start of the Extended Executive Meeting of the Assam unit of the Congress, Mr. Gogoi, who is also the deputy leader of the party in Lok Sabha, questioned the BJP-led central government's decision not to allow a discussion on the ECI even though the Chief Election Commissioner is appointed by it. "Today, there is a question mark in the minds of the people regarding the neutrality of the EC. That is why we want a discussion in Parliament. The government is trying to hide something. What is it? Is it their manipulation in the last assembly polls and Lok Sabha election?" the Assam Congress chief asked. Also Read | Suvendu Adhikari claims 1 crore 'Rohingya, Bangladeshi, fake voters' present in Bengal, urges ECI to take action Gogoi said the Opposition wants an open discussion in Parliament regarding the voter list, which is being revised in Bihar. 'The common people should know the status of their voting rights and details of polling stations. We want a discussion on this, but the government is saying they cannot discuss the matter.' said Mr. Gogoi "Their logic is that the Election Commission is not related to any department. This is an absurd logic because the Chief Election Commissioner is appointed by the PM and government," he added. Mr. Gogoi also claimed that there have been instances of electors visiting a polling station during voting, coming to know that their names are missing from the list. Speaking about Operation Sindoor, the Congress MP said, "The Union Home Minister did not even give minimum respect to the deceased of the Pahalgam terror attack. People died because of intelligence failure of the agencies under his ministry, but they did not apologise to the people. That's their nature." The Extended Executive Meeting of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee began here on Sunday morning. All party MPs, MLAs and senior leaders of the state unit participated in it. In the meeting, the strategy for the upcoming Assembly elections in the State will be discussed threadbare, an official said. Assembly elections in Assam for 126 seats are likely in March-April next year. "The meeting will adopt two resolutions. One will be political and the other will be economic. These will be prepared keeping in mind the upcoming assembly polls," the party official said.
