
Only a few actors turn up for talk on CAA hosted by govt; protesters say ‘Bollywood we are watching’
Censor Board chief Prasoon Joshi, filmmakers Rahul Rawail and Kunal Kohli, music director Anu Malik, producers Ritesh Sidhwani and Bhushan Kumar, director Abhishek Kapoor, actors Ranvir Shorey and Shailesh Lodha, singers Kailash Kher, Roop Kumar Rathod and Shaan were among the Bollywood personalities who attended a special meeting with Union minister Piyush Goyal and BJP vice-president Bijayant Panda on Sunday as part of central government’s Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) outreach programme.
The dinner was organised at a five-star hotel in Mumbai and was an invitation-only affair. The media was barred. Sources said the event was attended by around 20 personalities from television and Hindi and Marathi film industries.
The invitation sent to these film personalities said the event was aimed to “facilitate a discussion on myths and realities pertaining to the CAA”.
Watch | Prominent Bollywood stars skip Union Minister Piyush Goyal’s CAA dinner
“As a part of outreach program, we’re reaching out to all the segments of the society to explain the history and rationale of CAA and answer any questions people may have. This was a closed door meeting. We’ve also reached out through various associations from the entertainment sector,” said Hitesh Jain, Vice President, Mumbai BJP.
Gujarati television producers and directors Jamnadas Majethia and Shailesh Lodha also attended the meeting.
“It was a good meeting. It’s great to see the government reach out to clear the air regarding the CAA,” actor Ranvir Shorey said after the meeting.
“We were told that more such meetings are being organised with people from different walks of life,” he said. “I already had no issues with the CAA and I hope more people are not misled about it affecting any Indian citizen.”
Other Bollywood personalities such as lyricist Javed Akhtar, filmmaker and actor Farhan Akhtar, filmmakers Kabir Khan, Rajkumar Santoshi and Siddharth Roy Kapur, actors Dia Mirza, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao and Vicky Kaushal skipped the event on Sunday night.
There was heavy security outside the hotel where the event was hosted.
While the meeting continued, some protesters staged a demonstration outside the hotel premises against the amended citizenship act. They held up placards against the government and Bollywood.
“Bollywood we are watching. #MumbaiAgainstCAA,” one of the posters read. Another placard read: “Don’t disappoint yours fans. Reject CAA NPR NRC.”
The invite was reportedly sent by producer Mahaveer Jain on Friday. Jain had also reportedly organised the meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi last January. A selfie featuring several Bollywood stars with Modi during that meeting had got viral on social media.
An industry insider, who turned down the invite, said it was obvious because “the meeting will be about nonsense”.
The invite, however, was not extended to actor Swara Bhasker, filmmakers Anubhav Sinha and Anurag Kashyap - all of whom have been vocal about their stand against the controversial citizenship law.
There was a lot of buzz about the event on Twitter.
Protests broke out across the country after the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was cleared by Parliament and signed by President Ram Nath Kovind into an Act.
According to the new law, people from Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come to India till December 31, 2014, from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan due to religious persecution there will be given Indian citizenship.
The protesters claim that the legislation was “unconstitutional and divisive” as it excludes Muslims.
Other Bollywood celebrities who have expressed their disappointment over the Citizenship Act are Farhan Akhtar, Javed Akhtar, Shabana Azmi, Parineeti Chopra, Richa Chadha and Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub.

Kerala CM slams union minister amid calls for resignation over smuggling case

Tamil Nadu bus conductor who planted 3 lakh saplings in 30 years wins praise

Congress releases first list for Assam after ‘rumblings’ in unit

‘Golden moment’: TMC ex-MP Trivedi joins BJP

A month on, questions remain over cause of Chamoli disaster

20 years on, court acquits 122 people accused of SIMI links

Bihar finance dept sounds alert against attempts of irregular fund withdrawal
- The finance department has written to the top brass of various departments, offices and administration to ensure strict compliance to the finance and treasury rules for maintaining fiscal discipline.

Union minister proposes collection drive for beautification of Jagannath Temple
- In a letter to Puri king Gajapati Dibya Singha Deb, Union minister for petroleum and natural gas, Dharmendra Pradhan urged him to launch a mass fund collection drive to enable contribution by crores of devotees of Lord Jagannath for the development of the Jagannath Temple heritage corridor.

Cumulative Covid-19 vaccinations cross 20-million mark: Government

Issue of national security key as govt decides on cryptocurrency, says Thakur
- Cryptocurrency is, however, not legally banned and the government is in the process of enacting a law on this matter.

Need to develop military into ‘future force’: PM Modi at top commanders’ meet
- The PM asked the three services to rid themselves of legacy systems and practices that are no longer relevant.

Transgender help desk set up at police station in Hyderabad

In Rajasthan’s Jodhpur district, 2 arrested for brandishing gun at wedding
- According to the police, some young men were dancing at the DJ night in a wedding ceremony, during which one of the accused pointed the pistol at the forehead of another youth.

As farmers protest completes 100 days, Cong says ‘100 days of BJP's arrogance’

Supreme Court to begin limited physical hearing on trial basis from March 15
- In January this year, Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde ruled out any reopening of courts for the present.