A day after Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole threatened to stop the shootings of Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar's films as "they have failed to speak up" for the rising fuel prices, Shiv Sena has supported the leader.
Speaking to ANI, Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant said that Nana Patole's statement is correct. Earlier these people would mark their protest even if there was a slight rise in fuel prices, he added.
In a strong statement, state Congress president Nana Patole said that the Bharatiya Janata Party government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hiked petrol-diesel-gas prices exorbitantly, while farmers have been protesting outside Delhi for the past nearly three months.
However, in the midst of these grave crises, many celebs including Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay, who had raised their voices against the Congress-led UPA Government in the past on various issues, are now absolutely silent, and he cautioned that the party would stop their shootings for keeping aloof.
Talking to reporters in Mumbai, Patole said Bachchan and Kumar had tweeted about fuel price rise during the previous UPA government, but are now silent on the issue.
The prices of branded or additive-laced petrol, which attracts higher taxes, have crossed the Rs 100-mark in some places, including Maharashtra. In Mumbai, petrol is now costing Rs 96.32 a litre and diesel Rs 87.32.
Patole said the common man has been affected a lot by the increase in prices of petrol and diesel.
Filmstars like Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar, through their tweets, had earlier criticised the fuel price rise during the Manmohan Singh-led government, he said.
Why are they silent now on rising petrol and diesel prices? he asked.
"If they do not take a stand now on the injustice meted out by the Modi government, we will not let any films (screening) or shootings of Amitabh Bachchan or Akshay Kumar in Maharashtra," the Congress leader said.
They should now play the same role and protest against the central government's "anti-national policy", as they did during Manmohan Singh's tenure, Patole said.
(With inputs from agencies)
