Angry FWICE workers strikes at Amitabh Bachchan’s Jalsa, actor calls police

The indefinite strike of 22 different organizations associated with the FWICE ‘Federation of Western India Cine Employees’ still continues on the 13th day.

In this case, about 200 people reached had landed up at Bachchan’s doorstep. Bachchan was aware that they would come and he had arranged for police bandobast to deal with any untoward events that may take place.

The federation had submitted a memorandum to Bachchan urging him to discontinue shooting Kaun Banega Crorepati in support of the strike.

 Congress President Sanjay Nirupam was also present their but, he was stopped by police from taking a delegation of striking cine workers to meet Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan.

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Nirupam had announced on Saturday that he would travel with the federation to Bachhan’s house to raise the matter. But he claimed the police came knocking on his doors on Sunday, preventing him from meeting the actor. While Nirupam and the federation members were taken to Versova police station, a policeman dropped their representation to the actor’s residence.

The police, who had earlier served him a notice under Section 149 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), later stopped him under Bombay Police Act’s Section 69 (Power of police officers to restrain or remove).

Nirupam said, “There is a federation of Film and Television workers who are on strike for various issues such as better amenities and salaries. BJP wants film shooting to continue as there is a splinter group in the union headed by a BJP MLA.” He said, “I was told that Amitabh Bachchan was shooting despite the strike and the workers wanted him to support the strike by stopping the shoot. I said that they must give him a representation. I was prohibited from going to Bachchan’s house. Finally, I and my workers were taken to the Versova police station where our representation was taken by the police. There were nearly 100 policemen at my house to prevent me from going and nearly 500 men at Amitabh’s house,” said Nirupam.

However DCP Dahiya said that earlier, a notice was given under Section 149 of CrPC to Nirupam and later action was taken against him under the Bombay Police Act.

The FWICE launched the indefinite strike 13 days ago demanding eight-hour shifts, safety at work, job security, health insurance and on-time payments among other things. Accordingly, all shootings in studios in and around Mumbai and elsewhere in the country, besides on-locale shoots have been stopped.