Congress on Sunday hit out at Devendra Fadnavis for "brokering" a truce with MNS chief Raj Thackeray over the release of 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil', saying that the chief minister of Maharashtra would now be the country's "new censor board".
"Fadnavis has demeaned his office & disregarded Constitution by playing vendor to diktats of the MNS. Democracy shrugged for a BMC election deal," party's chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala said in a series of tweets.
He alleged that "self-styled goons and compliant film makers bartering freedom of expression brokered by BJP's Maha CM would now be India's new Censor Board."
Self styled goons, compliant film makers bartering freedom of expression brokered by BJP's Mah. CM would now be India's new Censor Board.
— Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) October 23, 2016
Earlier, he had wondered on the micro-blogging site as to "Why would our proud Indian Army accept donations forced by MNS goons from subservient filmmakers with profit motive?"
Under pressure from political and other outfits, Bollywood film producers had yesterday announced that they would not engage with Pakistani artistes, clearing decks for the smooth release of Karan Johar's "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil" as MNS withdrew its threat to stall the screening.
The movie had been embroiled in a controversy over the past few weeks after the MNS opposed the screening of movies featuring Pakistani actors after the Uri terror attack. The fate of the movie, slated for Diwali release on October 28, had been in limbo.
The movie features Pakistani actor Fawad Khan.
