MUMBAI: Anna Hazare's supporters have now come up with a new means to fight those who are protesting against their leader's struggle against corruption.
Producer director Mahesh Bhatt turned out to be one of the first victims of this dissent. On Wednesday, Anna's followers held a protest against Bhatt, who allegedly had called Anna a 'fascist'. More than 50 supporters from Azad Maidan were instructed to march towards the filmmaker's home and stage a protest there. They shouted slogans like 'Anna is cool cool, Mahesh Bhatt is fool fool' and a few others.
Despite police advising Mahesh Bhatt not to meet that group of 50 people, Bhatt invited them to his office for a dialogue. They continued sloganeering outside his office and asked Bhatt to wear the Anna cap when he meets them. Bhatt, however, refused to do the same. The difference of opinion then led to a heated argument between Bhatt and Anna's supporters. Bhatt told them that he is against corruption, but supports Aruna Roy's draft of the bill.
Listening to this, one of the supporters shouted 'Kya Aruna itne saal so rahi thi?' This angered Mahesh Bhatt who replied "like Anna is your father, Aruna Roy is mother to me. So you cannot come to my office and talk against my mother." One of the supporters there kept referring to Aruna Roy as Arundhati Roy. He was corrected by another supporter. Meanwhile, Mahesh Bhatt kept his stand and refused to apologise for any comments made by him in the past on this issue.
Bhatt told TOI, "They were angry with me for apparently calling their movement fascist. I have explained to them that while I applaud Anna Hazare for bringing the issue of corruption onto the centre stage, I disagree with the Jan Lokpal Bill as the panacea to the nation's problems. I want the NCPRI's bill which has been put together by Aruna Roy. Her credentials are impeccable to be also placed before our Parliament."
Anna Hazare supporters have been picketing MPs home irrespective of their parties. Bhatt said, "Why are they picking me out? I am also a member of the civil society and have only voiced my opinion against the movement which according to me is undemocratic.''
Kamlakar Darwade who led the protest team confessed that they were asked to go to Mahesh Bhatt's house as he was against Anna Hazare. "We were told by our people at Azad Maidan to hold a protest outside Bhatt's house as all Anna supporters were upset with the filmmaker calling him a fascist."
Apart from anti-Bhatt slogans, the protestors also offered flowers to the filmmaker. Bhatt said, "It is ironical that they came in with flowers to greet me, but during the course of the exchange, one of them used foul words for Aruna. I immediately showed him the mirror and asked him "Isn't this fascism? What you are doing right now?"
He added, "What is the difference between what's happening and saying Mandir yahin banayenge aur Bill sirf yeh hi pass karayengen?"
Producer director Mahesh Bhatt turned out to be one of the first victims of this dissent. On Wednesday, Anna's followers held a protest against Bhatt, who allegedly had called Anna a 'fascist'. More than 50 supporters from Azad Maidan were instructed to march towards the filmmaker's home and stage a protest there. They shouted slogans like 'Anna is cool cool, Mahesh Bhatt is fool fool' and a few others.
Despite police advising Mahesh Bhatt not to meet that group of 50 people, Bhatt invited them to his office for a dialogue. They continued sloganeering outside his office and asked Bhatt to wear the Anna cap when he meets them. Bhatt, however, refused to do the same. The difference of opinion then led to a heated argument between Bhatt and Anna's supporters. Bhatt told them that he is against corruption, but supports Aruna Roy's draft of the bill.
Listening to this, one of the supporters shouted 'Kya Aruna itne saal so rahi thi?' This angered Mahesh Bhatt who replied "like Anna is your father, Aruna Roy is mother to me. So you cannot come to my office and talk against my mother." One of the supporters there kept referring to Aruna Roy as Arundhati Roy. He was corrected by another supporter. Meanwhile, Mahesh Bhatt kept his stand and refused to apologise for any comments made by him in the past on this issue.
Bhatt told TOI, "They were angry with me for apparently calling their movement fascist. I have explained to them that while I applaud Anna Hazare for bringing the issue of corruption onto the centre stage, I disagree with the Jan Lokpal Bill as the panacea to the nation's problems. I want the NCPRI's bill which has been put together by Aruna Roy. Her credentials are impeccable to be also placed before our Parliament."
Anna Hazare supporters have been picketing MPs home irrespective of their parties. Bhatt said, "Why are they picking me out? I am also a member of the civil society and have only voiced my opinion against the movement which according to me is undemocratic.''
Kamlakar Darwade who led the protest team confessed that they were asked to go to Mahesh Bhatt's house as he was against Anna Hazare. "We were told by our people at Azad Maidan to hold a protest outside Bhatt's house as all Anna supporters were upset with the filmmaker calling him a fascist."
Apart from anti-Bhatt slogans, the protestors also offered flowers to the filmmaker. Bhatt said, "It is ironical that they came in with flowers to greet me, but during the course of the exchange, one of them used foul words for Aruna. I immediately showed him the mirror and asked him "Isn't this fascism? What you are doing right now?"
He added, "What is the difference between what's happening and saying Mandir yahin banayenge aur Bill sirf yeh hi pass karayengen?"
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