Daily lives have been severely affected in Indian state Maharashtra after a widespread Bandh organised by Dalit groups was staged in Pune and several parts of Mumbai. Film celebrities like Rahul Dholakia, Anubhav Sinha and Vishal Dadlani have condemned the Maharashtra shutdown called by some Dalit parties.
Angry Dalits staged rail, road blockades and took out processions here and in different parts of Maharashtra on Tuesday to protest against violence in Pune a day before which left one youth dead. They called for a state-wide shutdown on Wednesday.
Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit tweeted: "Film and TV shootings have come to a halt at Film City, Madh and other locations as the unit members couldn't reach the sets and due to fear of violence. Sad."
Two film-related events were also cancelled -- one for "My Birthday Song" and another for "Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety".
Here's what other celebrities have tweeted:
Rahul Dholakia: Caste Politics, Hindu-Muslim politics -- and class politics -- will eventually destroy India. The power to rule is dangerous! Cinema doesn't kill, politics does.
Anubhav Sinha: I don't know how to explain to younger ones what happened in Maharashtra today. What should I tell them so they understand. They want to know.
Pulkit Samrat: And now the mortals of same faith fight over caste! We can find a reason. Always! Sigh! Maharashtra Bandh.
Akshara Haasan: People in eastern suburbs and eastern Mumbai please be inside your homes. Please be safe, smart and careful. Avoid Chembur naka. Dadar, Kurla and many other stations affected. Mulund is shut down.
Vishal Dadlani: Caste and religion are truly the most despicable, most "anti-national" divisions among people. May all those who seek to divide humanity along these stupid and outdated lines, suffer untold miseries in both life and death.
Farah Khan Ali: The New Year begins with riots in Pune and now Mumbai. Why are people always pointing out to differences in each other. Why can't one celebrate uniqueness in each other. Why should one caste be above anyone? Why can't all be equal? Get a life people. Don't take a life
(With IANS Inputs)
