Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray has issued a sharp rebuke against the Union Government’s decision to shift the prestigious National Film Awards ceremony out of the national capital to Kevadia, Gujarat. Thackeray alleged that the move is part of a calculated attempt by the ruling administration to “create a wall” between Gujarat and the rest of the country by disproportionately centering national events in a single state.
The controversy follows an announcement that the 72nd National Film Awards will take place on September 22 at Ekta Nagar, home to the Statue of Unity, departing from the multi-decade tradition of hosting the event at New Delhi’s Vigyan Bhawan.
Speaking on the development, Thackeray questioned the lack of transparency in selecting the venue and criticized the apparent disregard for India’s other historically rich film-producing states.
Thackeray noted that the National institutions and national honors belong to the entire country, not to a single region and that if the government truly intended to move the ceremony out of Delhi to celebrate regional cinema, why were major film industry hubs like Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, or Chennai completely ignored?
This continuous diversion of national programs to Gujarat raises deep concerns about regional inclusion.
Echoing Thackeray’s sentiments, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut condemned the venue change, terming it a politically motivated decision aimed at the upcoming Gujarat Assembly polls. Raut labeled the centralization of national events as an attempt to transform a state-neutral national program into a localized exhibition.
Adding that this is a national property and not a regional summit, issuing an appeal to the film fraternity. That any artist who takes pride in the country’s diverse cultural fabric should consider refusing to participate in this event under these circumstances.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) leadership maintained that while rotating national events among states can foster unity, the current selection process lacks objective cultural and logistical criteria, undermining the sanctity of the National Capital and the film awards themselves.
News Edit KV Raman
