The speech of Amol Palekar interrupted after criticizing the government

The director and actor Amol Palekar was forced to interrupt his speech at the National Gallery of Modern Art Mumbai on Friday criticizing the functioning of the Ministry of Culture and mentioning the attacks on freedom of life. # 39; s expression.

an exhibition of the works of the late artist Prabhakar Barwe, a friend of Palekar, the gallery officials have repeatedly asked the actor to limit himself to talking about Barwe.

Palekar described as "disastrous" the decision of the Ministry of Culture to dissolve the advisory committees.

The video of the event was widely broadcast on social media on Saturday.

"Many of you may not be aware that this retrospective (on Barwe) will be the last show decided by the Local Artists Advisory Committee and not by a bureaucrat or government official whose the order or proliferation of certain arts to the extent of an ideological inclination, "reads in a speech prepared by Palekar.

Former committee chairman Suhas Bahulkar and NGMA director Anita Rupavataram ask him to stick to Barwe's work. 19659002] Palekar continued, "In 2017, we were happy to learn the project to open new NGMA branches in Calcutta and in the Northeast. The news of the expansion of this Mumbai site was also encouraging. However, on November 13, 2018, another disastrous decision was made. "

At this point, the curator of the exhibition, Jesal Thacker, intervenes and asks Palekar to stick to the Barwe exhibition.

In the video, Palekar is heard asks Thacker: "Are you asking me not to speak, have you invited me to speak and are you applying censorship to my speech?"

He continues: "Recently, Nayantara Sahgal was invited to speak at one event and her invitation was withdrawn at the last minute as her speech was slightly critical of the situation around us.Are you trying to create a similar situation here in m & # If you do not want me to speak, I will not speak. "

Palekar then descended from the podium.

"Strongly condemn the behavior of NGMA officials who insulted Amol Palekar and did not let him speak." Shabnam Hashmi theater personality tweeted, asking the Ministry of Culture to apologize .

"Their gross behavior, repressing artists' freedom of speech, shows the semi-fascist nature of the regime."