The recent IPL auction and the controversy surrounding the exclusion of Pakistani players by all owners made for great TRPs. And as usual the ever reliable SRK was called in for a quote and promptly delivered. He said he truly believes that Pakistani players are the best players in the world and should've been chosen. Of course no one really followed up the questioning and asked him why they were conspicuously absent even from the team he owns. Be that as it may, it was the politically correect statement to make. Well according to almost everyone else except the those true upholders of Indian culture, morality and democracy, the Shiv Sena. And in true Sena style they registered their protest in the best democratic tradition by tearing posters of Shahrukh's upcoming film My Name is Khan and threatening to disrupt screenings of the same. The issue has since escalated with the Sainiks issuing threats to theater owners who plan on screening the movie. Of course the Shiv Sena is on a roll here having recently taken on Sachin Tendulkar and now mouthing off against North Indians and Rahul Gandhi. Each new days brings in more pictures of Shiv Sainiks becoming more emboldened by their own sloganeering and the near deafening silence it has met with.
And this is really what Indian democracy has been reduced to. Anybody who doesn't like a statement or a person can and will shoot their mouths off, issue threats, blatantly damage public property and, in general, make a mockery of law and order. The Shiv Sena have been pioneers of this brand of expression of one's opinion. Its time to put an end to this. Its time the state acts to make an example of the Sena's goons. Every effort must be made to ensure My Name is Khan is screened successfully and anyone wishing to watch the movie must be allowed to do so without fear. And, I cannot believe I'm saying this, every single one of us who believes the Sena way of doing things is just plain wrong, must buy the tickets and watch SRK overact for 3+ hours. This is the only apt reply to the Shiv Sena. Shahrukh to his credit has so far stuck to his guns and deserves to be supported. Only then will Thackeray and his goons realize that Shahrukh is just as Indian as the rest of us even if his name is Khan.
P.S: The film is due for release on Feb 12th and in the next few days if SRK or Karan Johar on his behalf issues an apology to the Sena as he has done before, then consider this appeal null and void and this whole episode another attempt at a publicity stunt to promote the media.
