Pune: Congress protest stalls ‘Indu Sarkar’ promo

PUNE: Film director Madhur Bhandarkar had to cancel his press conference organised to promote his film Indu Sarkar on Saturday, after Congress demanded a clarification regarding Bhandarkar’s stand on the film. The film – which is to be released on July 28 – is set in the backdrop of the Emergency of 1975 and Congress workers were opposing its release.A large number of Congress activists had gathered at the venue of the press meet, compelling Bhandarkar to call it off.The director then headed back to his hotel, followed by city Congress chief Ramesh Bagwe and other party workers, who demanded that Bhandarkar must meet Congress workers and discuss the issue with them. “However, he refused to meet us. We wanted to request him not to defame the former Prime Minister of India,” said Bagwe in a release.Later, Bhandarkar tweeted, “Congress workers hv barged in the Hotel lobby & created a ruckus, me & team are stranded like hostages in hotel room. #pune activity cancelled.” Police said 22 Congress workers were detained for unlawful assembly.