Left to hit streets for pk

TT Siliguri, Jan. 4: The Darjeeling district Left Front will take out a rally tomorrow to counter the campaigns against pk, the Hindi film starring Aamir Khan and directed by Rajkumar Hirani.

The rally will start from Baghajatin Park at 3pm, move through Kutcheri Road into Hill Cart Road and end at Anil Biswas Bhawan, the district CPM office, on Hill Cart Road.

Following the release of the film on December 19, there have been protests by Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad in different parts of the country. Theatres have been vandalised, posters of the film torn and there have been demands that the screening of the film be stopped.

Former minister and CPM leader Asok Bhattacharya said. "It is a good film and imparts a nice social message. Those opposing it are trying to make it a communal issue. We have decided to launch protests against such campaigns against the film and vandalism and we will hold a rally on January 5. Along with this, some other issues would also be raised." He added: "We have a BJP-run government at the Centre and the ministers there are sitting idle, instead of taking any action against these radical groups. Such silence is part of a strategy to encourage these so-called protesters. The BJP is trying to make it a communal issue for its own interests."

Last month, Bajrang Dal activists in Bhubaneswar had ransacked a cinema and demonstrated in front of another protesting the screening of the film saying it hurt religious sentiments. Sangh parivar activists in New Delhi, Bhopal and Ahmedabad had attacked some theatres that were screening the film. Bhattacharya said: "People should also protest against other issues, including central policies that are not pro-people."

A BJP leader here today said: "When political parties come down to the streets in support of a film, it indicates political bankruptcy. It seems that the CPM and its allies are not finding any relevant issue."