Defiant Zee airs ?Kaka?
The Shiv Sena on Saturday intensified its efforts to prevent the telecast of controversial satire Kaka Mala Vachawa (Uncle, save me) by a Marathi television channel, but to no avail.
The Shiv Sena on Saturday intensified its efforts to prevent the telecast of controversial satire Kaka Mala Vachawa (Uncle, save me) by a Marathi television channel, but to no avail. The satire, which the Shiv Sena alleges shows the Thackeray family in bad light, was aired by the channel on prime time.

A group of party activists in Pune resorted to hooliganism at the residence of Shrirang Godbole, who has penned the satire. The police had to arrange for security at Godbole’s bungalow after the incident.
Mumbaikars were witness to another drama when the Zee Marathi channel aired the controversial satire in the evening, despite Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray having threatened the channel with dire consequences in the case of a broadcast. The programme was for some time blacked out by cable operators in some parts. The satire was part of an award function hosted by the channel recently.
Four days ago, a group of Shiv Sena activists had attacked the channel’s office at Lower Parel. On Friday, Sainiks also manhandled a reporter and crew members of the channel outside the court where the Sainiks arrested for the attack were brought there by the police.
Senior vice president of Zee Network Ashish Kaul said senior Shiv Sena leaders had approached the network seeking dropping of the satirical skit. Kaul said he had sent tapes of the play to Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray to see.
Earlier, the residence of eminent Marathi serial writer Shrirang Godbole was attacked in Pune by about 10 Shiv Sena activists. They barged into Godbole’s house in Deccan Gymkhana around 2 pm. Shouting slogans like ‘Shiv Sena zindabad,’ the workers damaged pots on the bungalow premises and also broke the window panes.
Godbole was reportedly at home when the incident took place. Eminent actor Dr Mohan Agashe was also with him. The two took shelter inside the bungalow as the police rushed to the spot. A heavy police security, that included two police vans, was thrown around Godbole’s bungalow.
No offence has been registered against anybody yet. Members of Godbole family declined to comment on the incident.
In the state’s political circles, the Shiv Sena’s actions are being seen as an attempt to revive its militant image in the run-up to by-elections necessitated by defections to the Narayan Rane camp in the Congress.