Online group begins sending postcards to MNS chief

It’s Gandhigiri versus hooliganism, and all for a name. Director Karan Johar, who recently had to issue an apology for using Bombay instead of Mumbai in Wake Up Sid, has found unlikely support from an online group.

It’s Gandhigiri versus hooliganism, and all for a name.

HT Image

Director Karan Johar, who recently had to issue an apology for using Bombay instead of Mumbai in Wake Up Sid, has found unlikely support from an online group.

Citizens’ Collective Against Censorship, a group on social network site Facebook, has started sending Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray postcards signed “Best wishes from Bombay” to make a ‘peaceful persuasion’ for the city’s old name.

“No one has the right to curb cinematic expression and sending a postcard is a creative way of protesting, just like the Pink Chaddi campaign to protest Sri Ram Sene’s attack on women going to pubs in Karnataka,” said Kapil Joshi (30), a member of the group.

The postcards, being posted to the MNS headquarters in Shivaji Park, carry personal notes for the MNS chief.

“Mumbai puts a bad taste in my mouth. It reminds me of intolerance, religious riots, Hindu fanaticism and all the stupidity of the Maharashtra government,” wrote Deepti Bose (28), a former mediaperson and a member of the group, in her letter.

“Such a fuss should not be made about frivolous issues,” Manoj Ojha (29), another member of the group, wrote.

Kiran Jonnalagadda (30) has sent a blank postcard to register his protest. “The city is still Bombay to me,” said Jonnalagadda.

Denying that the party has received any postcards, MNS spokesperson Shirish Parkar said: “This is not a cosmopolitan city anymore. People who insist on using Bombay should be thrown out of the city.”