Play by Pakistani artistes disrupted by Shiv Sena members, expelled by angry

Around five to six men climbed on the stage and raised anti-Pakistan slogans where the actors from the neighbouring nation were staging a play yesterday.

Gurgaon: Four people, claiming to be members of the right-wing Shiv Sena party, were on Sunday arrested for creating a ruckus during the performance of a play by Pakistani artistes in this millennium city, police said.

The actors of Pakistani Group, “Mass Foundation”, were presenting a play, “Baanjh”, based on the dispute between India and Pakistan over Siachen at Open Air Theatre on Saturday when half-a-dozen young men took over the stage around 8.30 p.m. and started raising slogans against Pakistan. He said the organisers neither obtained permission for the play nor intimated the local police about it.

“Initially, we thought it was part of the play”.

Rohilla said that the two policemen who were supposed to look after the security were nowhere to be seen while all this was happening.

The audience objected loudly to the disruption and even stepped in to shield the actors.

The incident occurred just days after Shiv Sena attacked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) headquarters last week just before Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Shaharyar Khan was to meet BCCI chief Shashank Manohar to discuss a bilateral series slated for December.

The editorial says protest by Shiv Sena activists against former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri book release and cancellation of Pakistan ghazal singer Ghulam Ali event were efforts by the regional party to “maintain an independent identity from the BJP as a political party”. The play resumed after the brief delay and concluded without any interruptions.

Defending their agitation, one of the leaders said that their form of protest is “peaceful” and it isn’t wrong.