5 years Post Brawl Ban for Shah Rukh Khan from Wankhede

After Wednesday brawl between Shah Rukh Khan and the Security personnel at the Wankhede Stadium, the Mumbai Cricket Association has slapped a 5 year ban on SRK and barred him from entering the stadium.

“The managing committee of MCA condemns the behavior of Shah Rukh Khan,”MCA President Vilasrao Deshmukh said after an emergency meeting of his organization in Mumbai. “After his fight at the stadium Wednesday night, the actor has shown no regrets for his action and behavior. In fact, he justified his actions. The managing committee is forced to ban Mr. Shah Rukh Khan from the entering Wankhede Stadium.”

He said nobody could support such behavior, be it the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the Indian Premier League (IPL) or the MCA.

“Our decision to ban Shah Rukh Khan was unanimous,” Deshmukh, the union minister for science and technology, said. “There was a proposal of lifetime ban, but we want to send a message that this is not how one should behave.”

“This is a message for everyone. Anyone who misbehaves or breaks any rules shall face a similar ban,” he added. “We have already written to BCCI and have apprised them of the situation and the decision that might follow. We don’t expect anybody to pressurize us to change our decision,” he said.

So, one he misbehaved – an allegation he contests, and second, he was not even remorseful. He was justifying his actions.

I know of many “educated” and liberal Indian urban elites who are backing SRK for his actions and justifying him as well. I disagree with them completely.

Reasons?

SRK talked about little girls being touched inappropriately by the security guards. First, to leave those girls unattended in a crowd is utterly irresponsible. Second, they had no business to enter the ground. So, if they thought that it was a good idea since they were SRK’s “whatever”, then they should know that they will not be specially treated with kid gloves when the security personnel are herding people out of the stadium.

SRK was very disturbed about the inappropriateness of the behavior of the security people, while he was clearly heard hurling all sorts of abuses at the personnel. Wonder what is inappropriate anymore.

Meanwhile the politicians have jumped into the fray.

Shiv Sena’s publication “Saamna” says this about Thackeray’s views on the brawl:

“Surprisingly, US security officers detain Shah Rukh Khan at the airport…frisk him, but he does not lose his cool. He goes there again and again to get humiliated. But he argues with humble security guards at Wankhede, because here he has the protection of the law, and of Congress,” Thackeray said in his editorial in the Sena mouthpiece Saamana.

“Shah Rukh is a good actor but his behaviour at parties, public events is controversial. Recently Saif Ali Khan too behaved this way. Perhaps that’s why Centre gave him Padmashri. In that case, Shah Rukh deserves a bigger honour. Please do recommend him for President-nominated Member of Parliament,” it said.

They do raise an interesting point about how it is easy to abuse an Indian thulla vs fighting an American security personnel.

Also, because SRK owns Kolkatta Knight Riders, Mamata Bannerjee has also taken this opportunity to endear herself to at least some – since her dictatorial style is alienating many in Bengal. Unlike, Shiv Sena, she backs Shah Rukh – apparently with an eye to appeal to the Muslim voters in the state.

Do you support SRK’s ban? Or do you back his stance?