RGV faces BJP youth wing protests

Twenty members of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) were detained on Tuesday by the Oshiwara police for protesting outside filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma's office in Andheri west.

Twenty members of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) were detained on Tuesday by the Oshiwara police for protesting outside filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma's office in Andheri west.

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The protest was triggered by Varma’s announcement about casting Maria Susairaj, who has been recently convicted in the Neeraj Grover murder case, in his upcoming film ‘Not a Love Story’.

A police officer from Oshiwara police station said that they kept a watch on Varma’s office after learning about the protest. “Around 20 persons out of the protestors were detained. We will decide on the course of action to be taken against these men,” added the officer.

The protesters held placards that read, "Casting Criminals in Films is a Crime" and raised slogans against Varma.

Following the protest, Varma lodged a complaint with the Versova police and said that he received a signed letter from the Bharatiya Janata Party threatening him against his decision to cast Susairaj.

“Our party workers staged a demonstration outside his office as well as the police station where Varma went to complain,” read a press statement issued by BJP.

The BJP had asked Varma on Monday not to cast Susairaj in any movie as she was convicted in the controversial murder case.

Varma posted his views on social networking site Twitter saying that Susairaj is not his sister or girlfriend and by casting her in his film, he is not supporting her. He also stated that Susairaj had served her sentence and had a right to start her life afresh.