The police thwarted the attempts of Sena workers on Saturday to storm the Bigg Boss house in Lonavala near Mumbai.
Speaking to Arab News, Pratap Digavkar, the superintendent of police, Pune rural said the situation in Lonavala and at the reality show site, was peaceful and under control and that the police have beefed up security with large deployment of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) contingent to tackle any disruption in the law and order situation.
Some police officials differ with the government on the contentious issue and are of the opinion that the producers of the show should have not invited Pakistanis.
A senior police official said, “In the very first place the TV channel should have not invited Pakistani artistes and we told the producers that the issue was indeed of nationalism and national spirit and very sensitive too.”
It appeared that some police officials too were in agreement with the views expressed by the Sena and large number of people that were against the participation of the Pakistani artistes.
The Shiv Sena had warned the government on Friday that if the two Pakistani artistes and the Indian lawyer are not expelled from the show before 11 a.m. on Saturday, they would forcibly storm the “Bigg Boss” house where the show is being shot and disrupt it.
The Sena has intensified its agitation under the leadership of Sena Member of Parliament Shivajirao Adalrao Patil and legislator Gajanan Babar, both from Pune. Both have been camping in Lonavla, demanding the expulsion of the three contestants from the show for the past three days demonstrating in front of the ABCL studio where the reality show is in progress.
On Friday, Sena workers led by Patil and Babar shouted slogans condemning the Maharashtra government and the Bigg Boss producers. The two Sena leaders held discussions with the representatives of Color TV Network and warned them that if the three contestants are not expelled from the show then the Sena would intensify it’s agitation and that the channel would be responsible for any damage and consequences arising out of the agitation.
