The Shiv Sena has been protesting outside Shobhaa De’s residence since 1pm today for her controversial tweets about Marathi culture.
Reacting to Sena’s attacks, De defended her tweets saying: “In a democracy I am entitled to have an opinion and no one can intimidate me or scare me.”
This is a political stunt by Shiv Sena to attract attention ahead of municipal elections.
– Shobhaa De
She also thanked the police for setting up barricades outside her house for her protection.
BJP, NCP side with Shobhaa
Though it was the BJP-led Maharashtra government’s directive on compulsory screening of Marathi films in multiplexes, but the party spokesperson Shaina NC told CNN-IBN, that while Shobhaa De’s accusation that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is doing ‘dadagiri’ is baseless but the agitation by Shiv Sena is unnecessary.
Her accusations may be incorrect and baseless, but in a democracy, every individual is entitled to their opinion and so does she. However, agitating outside her residence is uncalled for and the Maharashtra government is doing every thing in their power to ensure her protection. The police has already been alerted
– Shaina NC
Rahul Narvekar, NCP spokesperson too sided with De and criticised the Shiv Sena for their hooliganism outside the author’s residence.
It is just a publicity stunt by the Shiv Sena and they have no basis for creating such chaos. Every individual in this country is entitled to their individual opinion and she has done nothing unconstitutional for the Sena to react in such a way.
– Rahul Narvekar
Saamana Slams Shobhaa
After moving a privilege motion in the Maharashtra Assembly against columnist Shobhaa De for her satirical tweets, the Shiv Sena has made vitriolic attacks against the author in their editorial mouthpiece “Saamana”.
The Sena editorial piece told her that it was Chhatrapati Shivaji, the eighth century Maratha warrior and Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray’s ‘dadagiri’ that helped preserve Marathi culture.
The attack did not end there, several other unparliamentary comments followed including snide comments made about her forefathers and advising her to leave for Pakistan in case she isn’t happy in Mumbai.
Privilege motion against Her
Yesterday, Shiv Sena legislator Pratap Sarnaik who moved the motion said her tweets hurt the sentiments of the House.
Responding to the government’s diktat to force the screening of Marathi films in prime time, Shobhaa De, in one of her tweets said, “now popcorn will be replaced with dahi misal and vada pav”.
Sarnaik also objected to a tweet in which she referred to the Maharashtra CM as Devendra ‘Dikatwala’ Fadnavis.
Here are the tweets posted by Shobhaa De, yesterday.
Reacting to the privilege motion filed against her, Shobhaa De took to Twitter again. Here is what she tweeted.
Watch Shiv Sena protest against Shobhaa De’s tweets.
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