Anna Hazare’s NGO joins anti-’Bigg Boss’ brigade

LONAVALA - A day after the Shiv Sena enforced a shutdown in this hill station, social crusader Anna Hazare’s organization has demanded a stop to the shooting of “Bigg Boss” reality TV show, an official said here Tuesday.

Hazare-led Bhrashtachar Virodhi Jan Andolan Nyas’ Pune district treasurer Prakash Porwal has served notice to the Lonavala Municipal Council CEO Yogesh Godse, alleging illegal change of user for a property here in which the show is being shot.

“Some time ago, the Bombay High Court had ruled that change of user would not be permitted for any property in the town. The venue where the ‘Bigg Boss’ shooting is being held is an old factory, which has now been hired for commercial purposes. We have raised objections to this,” Porwal told IANS.

He said that their NGO has given 72 hours’ time - till Wednesday evening - to the council to revoke its no objection certificate (NOC) granted to Colors TV channel to shoot at the factory premises, failing which it will initiate contempt proceedings against Godse.

On his part, Godse denied violation of any high court order and said that the NOC once given cannot be revoked merely on the grounds raised by Porwal.

“The NOC was given for the premises, which is an erstwhile factory of Anti-Friction Bearings Company Ltd. It closed down long back and now its premises has been hired by the TV channel for constructing a temporary set and shooting its programme here. It is not a contempt of court,” Godse told IANS.

Porwal said that the 40,000-strong population of Lonavala has been greatly inconvenienced by “Bigg Boss” shooting in the town, around 120 km from Mumbai.

“Police have virtually converted the town into a fortress, people are not able to move around freely, there is a school adjacent to the shooting venue and the students there are getting disturbed. The students have to appear in exams from next Monday,” Porwal said.

On Monday, the Shiv Sena enforced a shutdown here.

The shooting for the reality show is being held here with two Pakistanis participants — Veena Malik and Begum Nawazish Ali — along with several Indians.

The Pakistanis’ presence in the show has been opposed by the Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena.