Buckling under pressure, the Bengaluru Police have denied permission to Bollywood actor Sunny Leone to perform at a New Year’s Eve show in the city.
Leone was to perform at a private New Year’s Eve event at White Orchid Hotel at Nagavara, however protests by pro-Kannada groups seems to have forced the government and the police to deny permission for the actor’s performance.
Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar confirmed that they have not given permission for the event. Meanwhile political leaders also weighed in with comments defending the decision."We have denied permission fearing law and order problems in the wake of protests by pro-Kannada outfits and also keeping in view the directions of the Karnataka high court in a molestation case reported on MG Road last New Year's Eve," home minister R Ramalinga Reddy said speaking to Times of India.
Citing that it is a law and order issue, he pointed out that her fans in Kochi went berserk during her visit in August. “We took feedback from Kochi police before taking the decision,” Reddy added.
The move comes after a subsidiary organization of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, Karave Yuva Sene held a protest on Friday in Bengaluru in front of Manyata Tech park against Sunny Leone coming and performing in the city on Friday. The protesters, wearing black ribbons and armed with brooms, burnt posters featuring the actor.
“This is not Kannada culture. People from other cultures are spoiling Kannada culture. The program should not happen,” Harish, an office bearer of the outfit told TNM. “We know what kind of clothes she wears and what kind of movies she acts in.”
However, the organizer of the event said that protesters were acting on misconceptions about it.
“I have not received any official complaint in writing but verbally I have been told that our event will not be given permission. I will approach the Home Minister and clarify the situation with him because a wrong idea has been projected about my event by the pro Kannada groups. I am a Kannadiga and I know the parameter of my culture. Those guys have projected this as if there is going to be a 'Nanga Naach'. In fact when many pubs in Bengaluru will be playing EDM and Bollywood music we will be highlighting Kannada songs. We have Kannada rapper/DJ All OK playing at our event. It is a purely family event,” Harish, the organizer told TNM.
Other than protests in Bengaluru, the outfit said that they will organise protests in a total of 15 districts against the ‘Sunny Night in Bengaluru NYE 2018’ event.
This is not the first time that the pro-Kannada organisation has held protests against this event.
The first demonstration was held on December 7.