'Besharam Rang' controversy: Amid the controversy over the song 'Besharam Rang' from the upcoming Bollywood film 'Pathaan' for its costumes, senior Congress leader and Chattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel slammed those who have been protesting against the song and called them "Bajrangi goons". Taking a dig at the BJP MPs/MLAs who earlier acted in Bollywood or Bhojpuri songs, he asked the Bhartiya Janata Party to clear their stance on the "heroes of their party". "What about those MPs/MLAs who were earlier worked as a hero in movies and songs and danced with the actress who wore clothes of saffron colour," asked Baghel.
Though he did not name any actors-turned-politicians while briefing media personnel, it was evident that he was speaking about BJP MPs Manoj Tiwari, Dinesh Lal Yadav, and Ravi Kishan, whose old songs are now doing rounds on social media platforms in which they were seen shaking their legs while wearing saffron coloured dresses.
"Sadhus adopt saffron colour when they sacrifice everything in their life but these ‘bajrangi goons’ who are going around wearing saffron, what have they sacrificed for the public? Instead, they’re trying to extort," said Baghel.
Notably, a major row erupted after Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra objected to actor Deepika Padukone's costume in a song from the Bollywood film "Pathaan" and also frowned upon the colour of the attire of Padukone and lead actor Shah Rukh Khan, calling for its "rectification".
Mishra said if certain scenes in the song are not "corrected", the government will consider what to do about the screening of the movie in Madhya Pradesh. He said the "green" and "saffron" colours of the attire of the actor (Khan) and the actress (Padukone) need to be "rectified" along with the lyrics of the song and also the title of the film, which will hit the screens next month.
Subsequently, many BJP leaders joined the move and demanded to boycott of the movie. However, it got massive support from Congress whose leaders claimed that the ruling party is making an unnecessary uproar in order to deviate the attention of the public from the main concerns.
Congress calls Shahrukh Khan "Rashtra Bhakt"
Earlier on Friday, Congress MP Rajeev Shukla came out in support of Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan and said that he comes from a family of freedom fighters and he is a "Rashtra bhakt" (nationalist). Speaking to ANI, the Congress MP said, "Shah Rukh Khan always remains positive and he comes from a family of freedom fighters. He comes from a family which is nationalist. Whatever he has said is right. He is a Rashtra bhakt."
(With inputs from agencies)
