After forcing the cancellation of Pakistani singer Ghulam Ali’s concert in Mumbai, Shiv Sena has now demanded a complete ban on popular South Indian sweet Mysorepak.
“Just like we prohibit any concert with a Pak artist in it, we prohibit the consumption of any food item that has the word Pak in it. Whoever is seen hogging Mysorepak anywhere in Mumbai will have to face the anger of patriotic Indians and Shiv Sena,” said a spokesperson from Shiv Sena, waving his fist at the camera.
Later, a bunch of Shiv Sainiks stormed into a Saravana Bhavan outlet in South Mumbai, and roughed up a few customers who were unfortunate enough to have a piece or two of Mysorepak on their plates.
“Enna kodumai Saravanan ithu? [What atrocity this is!]” cried Anand Ranganathan, a regular at Saravana Bhavan, who was one of the guys beaten up by Shiv Sena workers. “All I ever wanted from life is a tumbler of filter coffee in one hand and a Mysorepak in the other. Why am I being targeted for this?”
Needless to say, Sena’s latest ultimatum has added to the outrage of the already indignant television personalities. Barkha Dutt made the issue the topic of the day on her show The Buck Stops here, and featured a dozen accomplished Indian Mysorepak makers, each of whom demanded that PM Modi speak up on the matter. Arnab Goswami too held a ferocious debate on the topic on the Newshour, featuring Sambit Patra, Sanjay Jha, a piece of Mysorepak and a dozen random folks as panelists.
News anchor Rajdeep Sardesai registered his protest in his own inimitable fashion. “Eating a piece of Mysorepak along with Old Monk while listening to Ghulam Ali. Will Shiv Sena stop this too? Gnight,” he tweeted.
Socialite Shobhaa De tweeted, “I just ate Mysorepak. Come and beat me up,” but deleted it a second later, when she remembered that she lived in Mumbai.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena seems to show no signs of winding down its anti-Pak campaign. According to insiders, the party is likely to seek a ban on Champak next, a possibility that has greatly worried the Congress high command. “They dare not do this to Rahul baba. Congress workers across the nation will take to the streets if this happens!” said an angry Congress leader.
[Editor's note to Mysorepak fans in Mumbai: I don't think there's a Saravana Bhavan outlet in Mumbai yet]