Citizen’s Forum comes to rescue of the screening ‘Dilwale’ in Mangaluru

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Dec 22, 2015: Citizen’s Forum for Mangalore Development (CFMD) led by Vidya Dinakar came to the rescue of Shah Rukh Khan Starrer ’Dilwale’ in Mangaluru. Following forcibly stopping the screening of   ’Dilwale’ in various theatres in Mangaluru on December 20 by Bajrang Dal, Citizen’s Forum registered protest by a memorandum before the Mangaluru City Police Commissioner.

Mangaluru police has registered a case against Bajrang Dal activists including its state convenor Sharan Pumpwell here on Tuesday.

This case has been registered based on the memorandum submitted by Vidya Dinker coordinator for Citizen’s Forum for Mangalore Development. On Monday they submitted the memorandum to the commissioner of police S Murugan.
Bajrang Dal activists had barged into halls where Rohit Shetty directed movie ’Dilwale’ screened including multiplexes. In protest of Shah Rukh Khan’s statement on ’intolerance’ they tried stopped the screening of the film. It was very unhappy to note that unruly people trying to dictate terms what should be watched and not, Vidya Dinakr said. She deplored police inaction on the incident and we sought police action, she added.

It is reported that rowdies belonging to Bajrang Dal attacked the three multiplexes in the city, namely PVR, Cinepolis and Big Cinemas, which had scheduled screenings of the film and tickets had also been sold for the same. The gangs shouted abusively at the cinema outlets, trespassed into the premises and tore up posters of the film. Cinegoers were visibly distressed by the incident and the multiplex managements panicked and cancelled the subsequent shows. As of now, the movie’s screenings continue to be cancelled at the multiplxes and have not been revived by the managements due to security concerns, the memorandum deplored.

When theatre owners sought police protection, police allegedly refused to cooperate and in turn asked them to run the show at their own risk. It is reported in the media that Bajrang Dal leader Sharan Pumpwell has openly accepted responsibility for the attack. He even attributed their motive as being to enforce boycott of Shah Rukh Khan’s films in retaliation against certain comments made by him regarding the issue of intolerance, it said.

"The police department has regrettably failed in reigning in these anti social elements. Even in this case, our enquiries with eye witnesses at the affected multiplexes have revealed that police contingent played the role of a silent bystander and made no attempt to intervene when Bajrang Dal goons tore up the movie posters right under their noses, Vidya said.

 Provide security to all cinemas exhibiting ’Dilwale’ Hindi film and come out with an official statement on the issue and assure the public that it is safe to visit the cinemas, Forum demanded.