Raj calls for ban on Bachchans, cops order gag on MNS

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray sparked fresh trouble in and around the financial capital on Monday, calling for a blackout of films and advertisements featuring anyone from the Bachchan family until actor and Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan apologised for what he said was an insult to Marathi.

The call triggered sporadic protests from MNS activists who went around town tearing down or blackening posters of Abhishek Bachchan-starrer Drona which is due for release next month. MNS workers also claimed their colleagues in Akola and Nanded had burnt effigies of Jaya.

Earlier in the day, anti-Bachchan banners and hoardings were put up in some parts of the city. One of them had a picture of a train ticket from Mumbai to Amitabh's hometown of Allahabad, and said: "Go away, go away. Maharashtra will never forgive you. Shivaji Maharaj will certainly not forgive you."

Thackeray's fresh outburst came despite a notice from Mumbai Police last week asking him why he should not be gagged again after he went on the offensive to enforce a municipal corporation order to shops and businesses to put up signboards in Marathi as well. Thackeray had responded to the notice saying such a gag would be illegal and violate his constitutional rights.

However, hours after his press conference on Monday, the Mumbai Police went ahead and issued orders to Thackeray and senior MNS leaders not to make provocative speeches, hold public rallies or talk to the media for a month. Thackeray's latest fight with the Bachchans comes days after Jaya, speaking at an event in Mumbai to launch the music of Drona, said that since she was from Uttar Pradesh, she would speak in Hindi at the function.

"No film of anyone from the Bachchan family should be shown in theatres in Maharashtra until she apologises unconditionally," Thackeray told a press conference. "I want to see who will dare show their films. Advertisements featuring any of their family members will be blackened. I request people not to use products endorsed by them."

Thackeray compared his response to Jaya to the one actor Aamir Khan got in Gujarat for siding with Medha Patkar and her Narmada Bachao Andolan, leading to his Fanaa being banned in that state. "I dare her to make such statements in Tamil Nadu or Bengal," Raj said, once again seeking to justify his stance by comparing Maharashtra to what he says are more chauvinistic states. "Hindi is the national language and we respect it. It should, however, not be used to insult Marathi."

The MNS-Bachchan conflict is not new. Earlier this year, Thackeray had launched a tirade against Amitabh saying he was more loyal to his home state of Uttar Pradesh than Maharashtra where he has lived for decades and become an icon. The Bachchans are known to be close to Raj's estranged uncle and Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and the latter had come to the defence of the family after Raj's attacks.