Feb 25, 2019
MUMBAI: The Federation of Western India Cine Employees has urged a ban on the
cricketer-turned-politician and Punjab Minister, Navjot Singh Sidhu, from entering
the Mumbai Fim City premises, DNA reported.
The federation had earlier banned Pakistani artists from working in India and
release of Indian films in Pakistan in reaction to the terrorist attack on CRPF
convoy in Pulwama killing 40 jawans. Pakistan has long been accused of harbouring
terrorists.
While commenting on the February 14 attack in Pulwama, Sidhu had said on the
The Kapil Sharma Show that an entire nation (Pakistan) and its people should
not be blamed for the deeds of a few men. His remark had created a huge furore
and subsequently he was sacked from the show.
There has been hashtags like #SackSidhu, #BoycottKapilSharmaShow and #UnsubscribeSontyTV
doing the rounds on Twitter. Archana Puran Singh replaced him on the show.
However, according to another report, the Indian Film and Television Directors'
Association president Ashoke Pandit said, "Film City cannot ban him from entering.
He can move around in Film City as much as he wants, but our workers and technicians
won't work with him. This is an indefinite ban."
AICWA statement:
Earlier, the All India Cine Workers Association (AICWA) had announced a blanket ban on Pakistani artistes and actors working in the Indian film industry.
A statement issued by the AICWA on February 18 said, "All India Cine Workers
strongly condemns brutal terrorist attack on our soldiers at Pulwama district
in Jammu and Kashmir. Our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims,
AICWA stands with nation in confronting such terror and inhumanity.
"We're officially announcing a total ban on Pakistani Actors and Artists working in Film Industry. Still if any organisation insist on working with Pakistani Artists will be banned by AICWA and a strong action will be taken against them.
"Nation comes first, we stand with our nation," the statement said.
Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) had earlier warned record labels to drop Pakistani singers. Subsequently T-Series music company unlisted two of their newly-released songs in which they had collaborated with Atif Aslam and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.
