Coastal town of Mangaluru in Karnataka, a hot bed of rightwing politics is again back in news. Activists of Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad have stopped screening of Shah Rukh Khan starrer Dilwale in Mangaluru and surrounding parts of Dakshina Kannada district since Sunday. The activists held protests in front of theaters and multiplexes in Mangaluru and Suratkal and stopped screening of the film in protest against Shah Rukh Khan’s statement against prevailing intolerance in the country.
Sharan Pumpwell, a Bajrang Dal leader said it was to show Shah Rukh real intolerance. He said “Now we want to show the real intolerance. The protest is not because Khan is a Muslim; but against his statement. We have asked the theatres not to screen the Dilwale.”
VHP Dakshina Kannada president Jagadish Shenava said that the country and people have made Shah Rukh Khan a star. “People are aghast over his statement that intolerance was prevailing in the country.”
According to police sources, most of the theaters in and around Mangaluru have stopped screening Dilwale since Sunday and continued on Monday. However, the theater owners are in discussion with Bajrang Dal activists to broker peace. Mangaluru City Police said they had extended protection to cinemas on Sunday during the protest. There is no specific request for protection to continue the film’s screening.