Akshay, Twinkle in legal soup over 'Rustom' navy uniform auction
New Delhi, May 9: Bollywood star Akshay Kumar and his actor-turned-author wife Twinkle Khanna have been served a legal notice for auctioning the naval uniform he wore in "Rustom" because they "have played with the sentiments of armed forces personnel and widows" of fallen soldiers.
The notice has also been sent to auction house SaltScout, which has put out the naval officer uniform for online bidding. As of Wednesday afternoon, the highest bid offered for the uniform -- which includes a shirt, pants and a hat -- was Rs 235,000. The auction closes on May 26 night.
The Bollywood couple has claimed that the money raised from the auction would be used for social causes and 90 per cent of the net proceeds from it would support NGO Janice's Trust, an animal rescue service, treatment centre and shelter based in Panchgani in Maharashtra.
But the auctioning of the uniform has rubbed some serving and ex soldiers the wrong way, claiming that "by putting (it) in auction, you have shown no respect for national interest (and) have also played with the sentiments of armed forces personnel and their widows and their family members".
"As a matter of fact, till date no uniform or medal has been put for auction. The reason for the same being that an officer's uniform is bestowed as a singular honour on a commissioned officer by President of India for life. It is not a contract but entails a liability for the nation's sake and thus the array of medals and ranks, insignia are for the discerning eye of the one who proudly wears it."
The legal notice has asked Akshay and Twinkle to cancel the auction "failing which necessary action shall be taken against you under the relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code".
While there is no law that bars auction but the notice points out that after the January 2016 terror attack at the Air Force Station in Pathankot, the Indian Army issued guidelines asking civilians to avoid wearing army pattern dresses and shopkeepers not to sell combat clothes, uniforms and equipment as "it is illegal" and goes against the national interest.
The notice said Akshay and Twinkle have "shown no respect for national interest" by putting the "Rustom" uniform up for auction.
The Bollywood couple have defended the auction, saying they "are doing some work with good intention for a good cause".
"If anyone finds it wrong then it is okay. I cannot do anything on that," Akshay said, replying to a question at an event in Mumbai last week in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
The uniform Akshay wore in "Rustom" -- a 2016 period thriller set in the 1950s about Parsi Indian naval officer Rustom Pavri, who is struggling with his marriage after he discovers his wife (played by Ileana D'Cruz) has an affair with his friend, a businessman who was trying to negotiate a deal to sell a damaged aircraft carrier to the Indian Navy.
The film was based on the real life incident of Naval Officer K. M. Nanavati and businessman Prem Ahuja.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
