Members of two to three pro-Hindu outfits, including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, stopped the staging of a play on discrimination faced by the LGBTQI community on Saturday.
The play named “Shiva” was being staged at Jagriti in Whitefield on Saturday. It was directed by Dayasindhu Sakrepatna and the play had already done 15 shows.
On Saturday morning, the right-wing outfits entered the theatre and prevented its staging, claiming it was offensive and hurt their religious sentiments.
Around 50 members belonging to at least three pro-Hindu outfits had earlier submitted a petition with the DCP Whitefield’s office objecting to the play as it was named Shiva, whom they worshipped.
The police then tried to reason with both the parties. The bone of contention was only the name of the play and there were arguments over changing its title.
The Whitefield DCP had deployed three policemen at the venue. But later, another faction of a pro-Hindu outfit created a ruckus after which the play was stopped. The organisers announced that it had been postponed.
“Members of the VHP led by Girish Bharadwaj and two other pro-Hindu outfits numbering around 50 came to the station and objected to the play as it was named ‘Shiva’. We had to reason with the organisers, who decided to postpone the show,” said DCP Whitefield Abdul Ahad.