Dasmunsi disapproves anti-Bachchan protests

New Delhi, Sep 11 (IANS) A senior Indian minister Thursday frowned on the protests in Mumbai against Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan's family, saying 'they should not have happened'.

'It was a wrong thing. They should not have happened,' Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi said.

He was responding to questions at a briefing here after a cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

'The union government is not responsible (for controlling the situation in the wake of the protests), but I can say they were wrong and should not have happened,' the minister contended.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray had called for a ban on the screening of films starring the Bachchan family members to protest against actress and MP Jaya Bachchan's alleged 'anti-Marathi' remarks.

The premiere of Amitabh starrer 'The Last Lear', releasing Friday, was cancelled after MNS activists attacked a cinema hall where the film was to be screened. The activists attacked the PVR property in Juhu Tuesday afternoon and tore off posters of the film, demanding it be banned.

'Every (Bollywood) film should be shown in each and every part of India,' Dasmunsi replied when asked about Thackeray's demand that all movies featuring the Bachchans be banned in Maharashtra over a statement by Jaya Bachchan that was viewed as being 'anti Maharashtrian'.

Amitabh Wednesday apologised for his wife, saying his family was ready to accept any punishment if found guilty of any crime.

'The remark that Jaya made (at the music release function of 'Drona' last week) was not meant to malign or hurt anybody or any group of people. Having said that, I would still make it clear that if even a single person is hurt by Jaya's remarks, we would apologise, rather, we should apologise,' Amitabh maintained.

Thackeray called off the agitation after Amitabh's apology, saying it satisfied him.