Sena, MNS protest Pakistani presence, security up for ‘Bigg Boss’ channel
By IANSMonday, October 4, 2010
MUMBAI - As the Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) warned the new TV show “Bigg Boss” against allowing two Pakistanis to participate, Mumbai Police Monday beefed up security outside the offices of Colors channel.
“Bigg Boss 4″, which aired its introductory episode Sunday, has two Pakistanis - model Veena Malik and actor Ali Saleem, whose TV persona Begum Nawazish Ali is very popular in India too.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray hit out at the Colors channel authorities for taking Pakistani celebrities on its show.
“If they are attempting to show that they are global, then nobody outside India even bothers about them. And can’t they find celebs from among India’s 1.25 billion population,” Raj asked.
Shiv Sena spokesman Sanjay Raut also said that when Pakistan does not permit a renowned singer like Lata Mangeshkar to perform in that country, why should little- known Pakistanis be tolerated here.
The parties have demanded that the Pakistanis be ‘evicted’ from “Bigg Boss” house immediately.
Shiv Sena Chitrapat wing chief Sangram Shirke said the party has sent a letter to the management of Colors TV channel, expressing its displeasure over the issue.
“We request them to immediately remove Pakistanis from the show. Is there a dearth of celebrities in India that they must bring outsiders, that too from Pakistan,” Shirke asked.
MNS vice-president V. Saraswat said the party has urged the channel management to remove the two Pakistanis from “Bigg Boss-IV”. “We hope they heed our suggestion, failing which we will deal with the situation in MNS style,” Saraswat said.
If needed, he said, the MNS’ Lonavala unit will call on the Bigg Boss’ bungalow where the show is being shot for the next three months. MNS activists have earlier been accused of beating up migrant workers from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in Mumbai.
As a precautionary measure, the police increased security around the Colors TV offices in Andheri Monday afternoon.
Besides the two Pakistanis, other prominent participants in ‘Big Boss 4′ include: Mumbai lawyer S.G. Abbas Kazmi, who was the first government-appointed lawyer defending Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Amir Kasab, Mahesh Bhatt’s son Rahul Bhatt who shot into limelight after his association with Mumbai terror attacks suspect David Coleman Headley, television actress Sara Khan, and Seema Parihar, a former dacoit.
