Mumbai: Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Thursday threatened Bollywood celebrities, including superstars Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar, and questioned their silence over rising petrol prices across the country.
Patole threatened that these Bollywood celebrities, who had tweeted about high fuel prices during the Congress-led UPA regime, were quiet now. Stars such as Bachchan and Kumar had tweeted when the price of petrol rose to Rs 70 per litre, Patole said while addressing a press conference here.
“But now the price is nearly Rs 100 per litre. Why are they quiet? Don’t they have the courage to speak against the dictatorial Narendra Modi government,” Patole, who had had a brief stint with the BJP before returning to the Congress party, said.
“The UPA government functioned democratically, hence they could criticise it,” he further said.
Attacking these Bollywood stars, Patole asked, “Are you under Modi govt’s pressure? Those who don’t speak up for people who buy tickets to watch them, their movies won’t be watched in Maharashtra nor will shooting take place. This isn’t a threat. It’s about democracy and you’re public idols and hold accountability.’’
Are you under Modi govt’s pressure? Those who don’t speak up for people who buy tickets to watch them, their movies won’t be watched in Maharashtra nor will shooting take place. This isn’t a threat. It’s about democracy & you’re public idols and hold accountability: Nana Patole https://t.co/SefqdyeHqW
— ANI (@ANI) February 18, 2021
Fuel prices should be reduced to give relief to the common people, he added. Besides high petrol and diesel prices, the price of LPG cylinder too has gone up to Rs 800, Patole noted.
“Due to the coronavirus pandemic, people are facing a lot of hardship. Since international crude prices have come down, petrol should have cost Rs 35 per litre and diesel Rs 25 per litre,” he said.
Patole warned that the state Congress will launch a protest if the fuel price hike is not rolled back, he warned.
