DEMANDING APOLOGY: MLA Eknath Shinde (centre) led sainiks to a Thane mall where they staged a protest against Shah Rukh Khan

Nitin Yeshwantrao | TNN (THE TIMES OF INDIA; January 30, 2010)

Thane: The Shiv Sena’s Thane unit on Friday ordered a ban on all Shah Rukh Khan movies in the city and “appealed’’ to owners of multiplex and single-screen theatres not to put up posters of the actor and his next release, My Name Is Khan.

Sena leader and local MLA Eknath Shinde, who led a group of sainiks to Eternity Mall in Thane on Friday, said the star owed an apology to the nation and their party chief Bal Thackeray for his remarks on the exclusion of Pakistan players from the IPL-3.

Shiv Sena mouthpiece, Saamna, has carried an article expressing resentment against Shah Rukh—owner of Kolkata Knight Riders—for his reported statement in favour of Pakistani cricketers. The mouthpiece also criticised the actor for his objection to Bal Thackeray’s opposition to Australian cricketers; the leader wanted a ban on the Aussies in Mumbai following the attacks on Indians in Australia.

“Balasaheb had opposed the entry of Australians to the state to protest against the attacks on Indians in Melbourne. As a nationalist, he echoed the sentiment of scores of Indians. For Khan, however, all this is a business deal and about more profits. But we will not allow Australians to play in the state,’’ Shinde said.

Shah Rukh was not available for comment.

The Kolkota Knight Riders owner had expressed More >