'Har Har Mahadev' Row: NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad Arrested For Disrupting Screening Of Marathi Movie

According to the NCP MLA, the film distorted Chhatrapati Shivaji's history to create political hype.

Jitendra Awhad ( Image Source :PTI )

New Delhi: Former Maharashtra housing minister Jitendra Awhad has been arrested by Thane police on Friday for alleged vandalism after he and some other NCP workers forcefully stopped the screening of a Marathi film 'Har Har mahadev' at a multiplex in Thane's Viviana Mall on Monday night.

According to the NCP MLA, the film distorted Chhatrapati Shivaji's history to create political hype. Ahwad was earlier detained by Thane police. 

Maharashtra | NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad arrested by Vartak Nagar Police in Thane in connection with a protest against the screening of Marathi film 'Har Har Mahadev' in a local theatre a few days back: Thane Police

(File photo) pic.twitter.com/2budBinZma

— ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2022

The incident took place on Monday night when Awhad and his supporters allegedly gatecrashed into the multiplex in Thane and disrupted the show over the alleged “distortion of history”.

According to the complaint, when the spectators demanded a refund and passed comments regarding the disruption, Awhad and his supporters roughed up some of them.

After the disruption, the show was resumed by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) activists.

Today, senior NCP leader Jitendra Awhad was summoned by police for probe...in a suppressed voice we heard that there's pressure from above, we don't know who called...not accusing anyone. Maharashtra police are the best police & we're proud of them: NCP MP Supriya Sule, in Mumbai pic.twitter.com/LQwqvjunHN

— ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2022

A case was also registered against Awhad, based on the complaint of a spectator under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) pertaining to unlawful assembly and sections 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) and 504 ( Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), and the Maharashtra Police Act.

Earlier on Tuesday, condemning the incident, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said beating up movie-goers for watching ‘Har Har Mahadev’ will not be tolerated, and action will be taken against people involved in the incident.

“People are permitted to register their opposition democratically. I have not seen the movie and I am not aware of the controversy,” news agency PTI quoted Fadnavis as saying.