Despite Big B 145;sorry146;, protests on

Even as the premiere of Amitabh Bachchan-starrer The Last Lear was called off on Wednesday after suspected Maharashtra Navnirman Sena...

Multiplex attacked, effigies burnt; premiere of The Last Lear called off

Even as the premiere of Amitabh Bachchan-starrer The Last Lear was called off on Wednesday after suspected Maharashtra Navnirman Sena MNS activists attacked a suburban multiplex cinema, members of the party continued to spew venom against the Bachchan family and the city8217;s police force, despite the latter having issued over a thousand prohibitory orders against party men.

The Juhu branch of PVR multiplexes was vandalized by four unidentified men at noon on Wednesday. The vandals threw stones and shattered a glass window housing a poster of the to-be-released The Last Lear and an LCD screen.

8220;We have not yet identified whether the miscreants belong to any party but we are investigating it,8221; said Senior Police Inspector D Katkade of Juhu Police station. No one was hurt in the incident.

8220;Joint police commissioner K L Prasad should remember that Mumbai is an integral part of Maharashtra. He is paid by taxpayers of the state,8221; said MNS spokesperson Shirish Parkar. 8220;Where was he when swords were brandished on the city8217;s roads?8221;

In retaliation to Jaya Bachchan8217;s remarks during the music launch of Drona, Abhishek Bachchan8217;s upcoming film, 15 MNS workers staged a protest opposite Dahisar station on Wednesday afternoon. The protesters burnt effigies of Jaya Bachchan and Samajwadi Party8217;s Maharashtra head Abu Asim Azmi. Four people were arrested by the officers of MHB Colony police station. 8220;We are tracking down the remaining accused as well as the shakha pramukh Deepak Aarey,8221; said Senior Police Inspector K Gaekwad of MHB Colony police station.

Meanwhile, Amitabh Bachchan said at a press conference that if, despite his apology, a law and order situation persists, it would be the administration8217;s job to tackle the matter. 8220;We will wait for the investigation report and I am prepared to go to jail if I have committed a crime. If after our apology the matter still persists it becomes a problem of law and order, it is for the administration to take care,8221; he said.

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Earlier, Bachchan said he believes Jaya8217;s comments were not 8220;anything negative8221; but said the family leaves it to the government to decide. Tongue in cheek, the actor added he has no problems with his 8220;friend8221; Raj Thackeray though the latter has threatened not to permit any film starring any Bachchan family member to be released in Mumbai.