Shutdown in Lonavala against ‘Bigg Boss’

LONAVALA - Life remained peaceful in this Maharashtra hill station snuggling in the Western Ghats despite a Shiv Sena-sponsored shutdown against two Pakistanis participating in reality TV show “Bigg Boss”, police said Monday.

Road and rail traffic on the Mumbai-Pune sector remained unaffected as the shutdown was restricted to the hill station that has a population of around 40,000, a police official from the Lonavala control room said.

Tight security was in place in the entire hill station, the main town square, Bhushi Dam, the approach-exit roads to the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the old Mumbai-Pune highway, besides other important locations in the town whose economy is fuelled by tourism.

The Shiv Sena has called for a shutdown to protest the inclusion of two Pakistani participants in the ongoing “Bigg Boss 4″ show on Colors television channel, a party official said.

Party spokesperson and legislator Neelam Gorhe said that despite demands by the party, Colors channel has not removed the two Pakistani participants - actress Veena Malik and TV show host Ali Saleem who dons thepersona of Begum Nawazish Ali - from “Bigg Boss - 4″.

“Even the Pune district collector has served a show cause notice to Colors channel, asking why the show should not be stopped since it is creating law and order issues in the famous hill station,” Gorhe told IANS.

Gorhe said her party workers would stage demonstrations in the town and take out a procession to the “Bigg Boss” bungalow, around 20 km on the outskirts of the hill station, later in the day.

“Bigg Boss 4″ hosted by Bollywood star Salman Khan, has been at the receiving end of the ire of the Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena from the Day One of its telecast.

The show involves 14 participants locked up for 91 day in a house near Lonavla that has multiple cameras installed. They have no contact with the outside world and the one to stay longest is the winner. Two contestants have already been evicted.

Besides the two Pakistanis, other prominent participants in “Big Boss 4″ include model-actor Sameer Soni, actress Shweta Tiwari, Bhojpuri star Manoj Tiwari, Mahesh Bhatt’s son Rahul and Seema Parihar, a former dacoit who has several cases pending against her.