Opposition Congress and NCP today attacked Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for "brokering" a truce between MNS and the producers of "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil", saying it is for the Centre to decide if Pakistani artistes should be banned whereas the state government's responsibility is to ensure rule of law.
Expressing "shock" over the development, Congress said Fadnavis had not only bowed down to the "highhanded tactics" of the MNS, but made the state to bow before that party.
The responsibility of the Chief Minister was to maintain law and order and not to mediate between the producers and MNS, which had threatened to block the film.
"The Chief Minister's responsibility is maintaining law and order. It was unconstitutional for him to mediate between the film producers and MNS, which had threatened to block release of the film," state Congress spokesman Sachin Sawant said in a statement.
"Banning artistes from across the border is a decision to be taken by the Centre. The demand for ban on Pakistani artistes should be made to the Centre," he said.
He said protecting the country's interest was part of the foreign policy, which falls under the ambit of the Centre. The state government's responsibility is to ensure law and order, till a decision to ban Pakistani artistes is taken by the Centre.
"When Ashok Chavan was the CM, Shiv Sena had created similar problems against the release of Shah Rukh Khan's 'My Name is Khan'.
"The Congress government at the time provided police protection to the movie and ensured there was no law and order problem. Congress showed it does not bow down to any pressure. Fadnavis showed that he was incapable of handling the pressure," Sawant added.
The NCP alleged that the "settlement" brokered by Fadnavis between MNS chief Raj Thackeray and film producers was a proof that BJP was "providing fuel to the MNS engine".
NCP spokesman Nawab Malik said the Chief Minister's job is not to broker settlement, but to ensure law and order.
"By making producers agree to contribute Rs 5 cr to the army welfare fund, Thackeray and Fadnavis have insulted the memory of martyred jawans," he said.
Hitting out at Thackeray, he said the MNS chief was known for never taking issues raised by him to their logical conclusion.
"It is now clear that BJP is providing fuel to MNS engine (the party's election symbol)," Malik said, adding in the Lok Sabha polls, MNS' strategy was to ensure BJP's victory and defeat Shiv Sena, he added.
Published 22 October 2016, 11:45 IST