Protesting over wrong projection of nation's image: Bhandarkar

Bollywood filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar, who will be joining veteran actor Anupam Kher in the 'March for India' today, said it is a symbolic event and the protest is against the 'wrong projection' of the country's image.

"It's a very symbolic march and we are going to meet the Honourable President and give him a memorandum," Bhandarkar told ANI.

"Anupam Kher and I are leading the march and a lot of people are also there. Many people have not been able to join us but their spirit is there. We have major support on Twitter and 45 people from different states have come here," he added.

He stressed that the march is against the bad light the nation was being projected in.

Meanwhile, another filmmaker Ashok Pandit slammed the protestors for speaking against the government over the intolerance issue saying that they had chosen to remain silent during the 'Kashmiri pandit genocide' incident.

"Those who are returning their awards and saying in chorus that there is an environment of intolerance were already against this government. When Kashmiri pundits were being killed, I had requested them to raise their voices against it, but they were all silent," Pandit told ANI.

"What has happened in the last 14 months that they are feeling insecure? They cannot stomach the fact that they won't be able to enjoy their unnecessary luxuries under the new government that has formed," he added.

Further hitting out at the protestors, Pandit said they had chosen to speak out on 'selective' issues which is why it was important to give a strong retort.

"From the time these people started returning their awards we realized it is a conspiracy. Being responsible citizens and part of this industry we decided to raise our voice against it," he said.

Kher will lead his 'March for India' today in the national capital against the literary icons and artists returning their awards.

Kher has invited all Indians to head to the Rashtrapati Bhawan to protest the voices being raised over "intolerance" in the country.

His march comes in the wake of several filmmakers, writers and historians raising their voices against the rising intolerance and threatening the government with 'Award Wapsi' to vent their ire.