Amid demand by the BJP on making the movie The Kashmir Files tax-free in the state, a section in the Shiv Sena was said to be in favour of the move. As it is, the Sena always claims the credit of raising the plight of Kashmiri Pandits, stating that party patriarch Bal Thackeray raised the issue when “everyone else was silent”. Uncomfortable with the “political signaling” being done through the film, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies, though, were against the state waiver and sought a GST waiver from the Centre instead. Some leaders in the Sena now lament that the move has given the BJP another issue to target its former ally.
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Cop’s perspective
Former IPS officer-turned-lawyer Y P Singh is soon coming out with his second film that will showcase how agencies are used by politicians to “fix” their rivals. Singh had earlier come out with a film “Kya Yehi Sach Hai”, which was based on his own novel “Carnage by Angels”. The shooting of the 2-hour-20 minute-long film, called Indian Supari Company, is almost over and includes actors from the National School of Drama. Incidentally, Singh is the brother-in-law of Rajeshwar Singh who took voluntary retirement from the Enforcement Directorate and went on to successfully contest the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections on a BJP ticket.
On alert
Though the MVA has taken steps to delay the civic polls by taking over certain rights of the election commission, certain BMC officials are still keeping themselves prepared for holding polls in case the judiciary strikes down the state government’s decision. BMC officials have started ordering equipment, stationery and sanitisers and have also made provisions for increased number of counting centres in view of a probable fourth wave, in case elections are announced in a hurry.
By VISHWAS WAGHMODE and YOGESH NAIK
Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/mumbai-confidential-different-takes-7828657/
