Under fire, Fadnavis says he opposed `5-cr ‘penalty’

Parrikar, Venkaiah disapprove of MNS’ demand from filmmakers

MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: Under fire for “brokering” a deal between the producers of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has said he opposed the `5-crore contribution offered by the filmmakers to the army welfare fund.

The CM, however, defended his intervention, saying governments even talked to the separatists and Left ultras for the sake of peace even as two Union ministers criticised Raj Thackeray-led MNS for forcing the producers to make the contribution as “penance” for casting Pakistani actors.

The army, defence minister Manohar Parrikar said on Tuesday, accepted only voluntary donations for the welfare of battle casualties.

“The concept is of voluntary donation and not catching someone’s neck. We don’t appreciate it,” Parrikar told reporters in New Delhi.

The MNS’ demand was wrong and the government had nothing to do with it, information and broadcasting minister M Venkaiah Naidu said.

“That was a wrong proposal. We don’t agree with their (MNS) proposal. The Maharashtra chief minister has also clarified he was not a part of the proposal made by some other party,” Naidu said in the Capital.

Hindustan Times reported on Sunday the army would not accept forced donations and was not comfortable being dragged into the politics surrounding the film.

Karan Johar’s film faced protests for casting a Pakistani actor, with MNS threatening to block the release scheduled for October 28.

But Fadnavis stepped in and at a meeting between the Film Producers’ Guild, the movie producers and Thackeray resolved the crisis.

During the meeting it was agreed that the filmmaker would donate `5 crore towards army fund, triggering howls of protest from opposition parties and some army veterans.

“Thackeray had put three demands, of which there were no objections to the other two. When the issue of `5 crore came up, I intervened and made it clear to the Film Producers’ Guild that they need not agree to it... However, it was producers’ decision to accept it,” Fadnavis said Monday evening.

The opposition says in brokering the deal, the chief minister had abandoned his primary responsibility of maintaining law and order.

“Another choice was deploying thousands of police staff outside theatres. I would then face allegations like I have spoiled Diwali holiday of police staff. Issues should be solved by talking, and we are a democratic government,” the chief minister said.

Ruling partner Shiv Sena, too, has criticised Fadnavis, terming the intervention as an act of “siding with Pakistani personalities”.

The CM responded to the charges saying, “Did our governments not talk with separatists like Hurriyat (Conference) or negotiate with Naxal groups for peace?”

Relations between India and Pakistan nosedived after an attack by suspected Pakistani militants in Kashmir’s Uri left 19 soldiers dead in September. A few days later, the Indian Army crossed the line of control and hit militants preparing to sneak into India from Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

New Delhi had also launched a diplomatic offensive to isolate Pakistan for backing terrorism.