Director Hansal Mehta has responded to National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah’s criticism of filming of a show in the Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly complex, saying that such an “unwelcoming attitude” is the reason why India is considered an “unfriendly shooting location”.

Mr Abdullah, the former chief minister of the erstwhile state of J&K, had on Friday criticised the Jammu and Kashmir administration for allowing the shooting of Huma Qureshi-starrer “Maharani” inside the assembly complex and called it an “absolute shame”.

Mr Mehta, the maker of critically-acclaimed series like “Scam 1992” and “Scoop”, replied to Abdullah’s post on X, calling it “disrespectful” and “regressive”.

“Why is it a shame? How is filming of a drama demeaning democracy or the ‘mother of democracy’? Every body on a film set including actors, background actors (called ‘extras’ by you) are all citizens of this country and have every right to work with dignity and deserve respect and understanding- at least from somebody as educated as yourself,” the filmmaker said.

In countries around the world, filmmakers and actors are allowed to use public places, government buildings and council halls for shooting, Mr Mehta added.

“It is because of this unwelcoming attitude that India is considered an unfriendly shooting location and we often prefer shooting abroad. I have great respect for you but this feels very disrespectful, regressive and myopic,” the filmmaker said.

Why is it a shame? How is filming of a drama demeaning democracy or the ‘mother of democracy’? Every body on a film set including actors, background actors(called ‘extras’ by you) are all citizens of this country and have every right to work with dignity and deserve respect and… https://t.co/JlvalzhhU1

— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) January 12, 2024

“Maharani”, created by Subhash Kapoor, was shot inside the assembly complex in Jammu in June last year. The series is inspired by political turns in Bihar in the 1990s when the then chief minister Lalu Prasad, mired in the infamous fodder scam, installed his wife Rabri Devi as his successor.

In his post on X, Mr Abdullah had said, “The true face of ‘the mother of democracy’, where once elected representatives of the people from all parties, religions, backgrounds & parts of J&K legislated on matters of great importance now actors & extras use it as a set for TV dramas.”

He said it was a “shame that the BJP driven government in J&K has reduced the symbol of democracy, where they once sat and governed, to this sorry state of affairs”.

Mr Abdullah further wrote, “They even have a fake CM coming out of an office I was privileged to occupy for 6 years. What an absolute shame!!!!” The J-K legislative assembly was dissolved by the Governor on December 20, 2018.

The true face of “the mother of democracy”, where once elected representatives of the people from all parties, religions, backgrounds & parts of J&K legislated on matters of great importance now actors & extras use it as a set for TV dramas. What a shame that the BJP driven… pic.twitter.com/kukyD0cQgt

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) January 12, 2024

There have been no assembly elections in J-K which was bifurcated into two Union territories – J-K and Ladakh – on August 5, 2019. The Centre also annulled Article 370 of the Constitution which accorded a special status to the erstwhile state. Ladakh is a Union Territory without assembly.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

In a major step towards thwarting Pakistan’s attempts to increase terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian Army is launching Operation Sarvashakti, where the security forces will be targeting the terrorists operating on both sides of the Pir Panjal mountain ranges in the Union Territory.

In recent times, Pakistani proxy terrorist groups have tried to revive terrorism in the South of Pir Panjal ranges especially in the Rajouri Poonch sector, where around 20 troops have been killed in attacks by terrorists, with the latest being on December 21, when four soldiers were killed in action in the Dera ki Gali area there.

“Operation Sarvashakti would be to carry out combined counter-terrorist operations from both sides of the Pir Panjal ranges where the formations of the Srinagar-based Chinar Corps along with the Nagrota-headquartered White Knight Corps would be carrying out simultaneous operations,” sources in the security forces told ANI.

“The Jammu and Kashmir Police, CRPF, Special Operations Group, and the intelligence agencies would be working in close coordination to thwart Pakistani designs to revive terrorist activities in the UT, especially in the Rajouri Poonch sector,” they added.

The operations are expected to be on the lines of Operation Sarpvinash, which was launched in 2003 to eliminate terrorists from the same areas in the South of Pir Panjal range.

Army Chief General Manoj Pande recently stated that terrorist activities had almost vanished in the area since 2003, but the western adversary is now trying to revive it there.

He along with the Northern Command had also held detailed discussions with the Corps Commanders on ways to tackle the threat from these terrorists.

The operations are being launched in close monitoring by the Army Headquarters and the Northern Army Command in Udhampur and were planned soon after Home Minister Amit Shah held a security meeting with all stakeholders including the National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Army, intelligence agencies including both internal and external ones, police officials from both state and central agencies.

Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi has held coordination meetings with the top security forces brass in both the Jammu and the Kashmir regions for coordinated action against terrorists.

The Indian Army has also started the process of inducting more troops in the Rajouri-Poonch sector. The troops’ induction process has also started, along with the strengthening of the intelligence setup in the region.

The security forces are also confident about the local support to thwart terrorism in the areas.

Sources said that despite provocation by terrorists to attack an Army vehicle in the Krisna Ghati area, the troops did not fire back as a lot of civilians were present there. 

The swift action initiated by the Indian Army against own officers and men in the death of civilians post December 21 encounter has also helped.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)