Mumbai: Shiv Sena on Wednesday threatened to stage a protest during the performance of leading Pakistan singer Ghulam Ali at Shanmughananda Hall here on October 9, holding will oppose cultural and sporting relations with the neighbouring country so long as it refused to curb terrorism.
In a letter to the management of the Shamughananda Hall, Shiv Sena's film wing "Chitrapat Sena" said if it went ahead with the programme featuring the artist from Pakistan they would have to face the "anger of Shiv Sena and the patriotic people."
"Through this letter, we want to convey to you that if you invite Pakistan artist to the show you will have to face the Shiv Sena's wrath. Which is why we ask you to prohibit the Pakistan artist from coming to the programme, or else you will have to face the anger of Shiv Sena's and the patriotic people of the country," Chitrapat Sena Vibhag Pramukh Mangesh Satamkar said in his letter.
He said it has been a long standing stand of Shiv Sena that until the neighbouring country stopped terrorism activities there should be no cultural, sporting and political relations with Pakistan.
"Our opposition is not to Ghulam Ali specifically but to all Pakistani artistes who gain commercially while widows of Indian jawans killed on the border mourn their loss," Chitrapat Sena leader Adesh Bandekar told PTI.
"The neighbouring country is sending terrorists to India, blasting bombs, attacking our Parliament, then how do we welcome their artistes," Bandekar said.
"We have conveyed our opposition to the organisers of the October 9 concert at the Sri Shanmukhananda Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi Auditorium in Sion," he said.
"It is sad that Shiv Sena is the only party which has taken this stand. No other party seems to be bothered about the heinous acts of Pakistan and the sufferings of our soldiers. Shiv Sena has always been against Pakistan," he alleged.
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Shiv Sena's threat to protest at Ghulam Ali's show not justified: BJP
This is not the first time that the Sena has expressed its opposition to Pakistani artistes.
In April, Pakistani singer Atif Aslam's concert in Hadapsar, Pune was cancelled after a strong opposition from Shiv Sena. The concert, scheduled for April 25, was cancelled by the organisers of the event fearing attacks by the activists of the political party.
Sanjay Sathe, the organiser of the event had then said, "We are from the field of arts, we wanted to do it, but then the intention behind the cancellation is totally appropriate. As Balasaheb Thackeray has said 'Be patriotic and put the nation first', and thereby, at the larger level we had to cancel the show."
