If surgical strike okay, why not ban on Pakistan actors, asks MNS to Centre

Refusing to back down from its concrete stand on banning Pakistani artistes from performing in films or any other form of art and culture, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has called on the Centre to remain firm on this move.

Shalini Thackeray, working President of Maharashtra Navnirman Chitrapat Karmachari Sena, told ANI, "There is a section of the film industry which refuses to understand sentiments and insists on making provocative statements like "we will not listen and will allow Pakistani artistes to work. Then, there isn't anything left, but to say that accept that people will come out on the streets and teach them a lesson. That is the only way."

Asserting that Pakistani artistes have no respect for the very nation that turned them into celebrities, she further said the Centre should join the MNS and initiate a ban on actors from Pakistan.

However, the MNS has been warned of facing appropriate action by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) if they take law and order into their own hands.

Speaking to ANI, BJP leader Shaina NC questioned the locus standi of the MNS, while adding that no one had given them the right to take law and order into their own hands.

"It is the prerogative of the government of the day and yes we do have an isolation policy where we believe that in the current scenario, there must be no ties, economical, political, diplomatic or cultural but that is the stand of the government," she said.

"Any political party that chooses to take law into their hands will be dealt with appropriately," she added.

Yesterday, the threat to film makers Karan Johar and Mahesh Bhatt was issued by the film wing of Raj Thackeray- led MNS who had earlier given a 48-hour deadline for all Pakistani artistes working in India to leave the nation.

"We had appealed to film industry not to work with Pakistani artistes in the wake of the Uri attack. However, Bhatt and Johar have not given a positive response to our appeal. If they work with any Pakistani artiste, they should be prepared for a befitting response from us," MNS Chitrapat Sena head Amey Khopkar said.

Speaking to a TV channel later in the day, he further stated that if Karan Johar and Mahesh Bhatt dare to make a film with Pakistani actors in the future, they will be 'beaten up' on the streets, adding that Pakistani artistes will also be meted with the same treatment.