Parrikar, Naidu flay MNS’ `5cr deal on ADHM

Two Central ministers, Manohar Parrikar and Venkaiah Naidu, criticised Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raj Thackeray’s demand that the producers of “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil” must pay `5 crore to the Army welfare fund to ensure the Bollywood movie’s smooth release.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who reportedly brokered the deal also said he was opposed to any such bargain, but said the producers accepted it.

The film faced protests by MNS workers for casting Pakistani actor Fawad Khan. The demand of a `5 crore “penance” sparked strong reactions from opposition parties and some Army veterans.

Defence minister Mr Parrikar said in Delhi: “The concept is of voluntary donation and not catching someone’s neck. We don’t appreciate it”. He said that the concept behind the newly-created Battle Casualty Fund was to ensure those who wanted to donate voluntarily for the welfare of the families of martyrs could do so.

Information and broadcasting minister Mr Naidu termed the MNS demand “wrong”, and said the government had nothing to do with it.

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

Mr Fadnavis said he had opposed the offer of the `5 crore contribution to the

Democratic governments at times would even talk to separatists and ultras for the sake of peace — Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra CM

Expressing grief and sympathy over the loss of about 60 lives in a militant attack on Tuesday on a police training academy in Pakistan’s Quetta, defence minister Manohar Parrikar said Pakistan is being hit back hard by its own creation.

Citing the example of Indian mythology’s Bhashmasur, an “asura” or fiend who turned his killing gaze unto himself thereby turning himself into ashes, Mr Parrikar, while making it clear that he was not likening Pakistan to Bhashmasur, said: “You need to be able to control anything that the state does. Non-state actors should not be supported by any country. That is crux of our security doctrine. We have said that non-state

actors, who are involved in terrorism, should be curtailed. Sometimes it bounces on you also. I think this is one of such event”. “But I regret the loss of lives and my sympathies are with the people who lost their lives. Terrorism anywhere and in any form cannot be justified. We don’t believe in violence and this kind of violence,” he said on the sidelines of the Naval Commanders’ meet.