In Delhi, half-an-hour after the matinee show at Regal, a group of 10-12 people including women, barged into the theatre armed with rods and went on a rampage. Within 15 minutes, the glass doors and window panes were shattered and the booking counter was ransacked.

As word of the attack spread, PVR Anupam stopped its 12.50 pm screening mid-way to announce that it was withdrawing the film to ``ensure the safety of its patrons''. Another hall, Satyam, also screened the film at 10.30 am, but said it was taking it off the screen as it had ``other movies scheduled for the next week.''

In Pune, the Patit Pavan Sangathan stole a march over the local Shiv Sena unitand threatened the management of West End against screening the film. And as the theatre complied and promptly covered the film's hoarding with a huge cloth, Sena district chief Nirmala Kendre seemed upset that ``their cause'' had been hijacked. ``We were going to stop the screening tomorrow,'' she said, ``anyway, the film is full of obscenity and nudity, and if the theatre tries to begin screenings anytime we will not allow it.''

Fire

is the story of two women -- sisters-in-law -- locked in unfulfilled marriages in a typically Indian joint family ending up seeking emotional solace in each other. While its lesbian theme has attracted criticism from some women's organisations, the film has been raved about by domestic and international critics.

In the role of the protagonists, Fire stars Nandita Das and Shabana Azmi, who as MP was present in the Rajya Sabha today while Kuldip Nayar (Nom) began discussions attacking the Shiv Sena for its ``cultural goondaism''. He said though the film has beenacknowledged for its artistic value and had won 14 international awards, ``Emperor of Maharashtra'' Bal Thackeray has decided that it should not be allowed to be screened.

``200 goons of Shiv Sena stormed a theatre and stopped the film,'' he said, provoking a howl of protest from the treasury benches. What was worse, he said, was that the State Chief Minister actually came out in support of the protestors and congratulated them.

Azmi, who has been highly praised for her performance in the film, sat next to Nayar during the debate but did not take part in it. When there were shouts from the BJP-Shiv Sena benches that the film's exploration of lesbianism was against Indian cultural values, an aggressive Opposition retaliated: ``Then, why did you allow Michael Jackson (to perform in Mumbai). Does he represent Indian culture ?''

But the treasury benches took exception to the references made to Thackeray and the Maharashtra Chief Minister, saying that it was unfair to drag their names when they could notdefend themselves in the House.

Pritish Nandy (Shiv Sena), the next Speaker, tried to counter the onslaught. ``If we want to give voice to alternative sexuality, we should also lend voice to alternative political belief,'' he said, recalling how Parliament had expressed outrage at Pradeep Dalvi's play ``Nathuram Godse'' sometime back.

He argued that the Government should stay out of issues like this and leave the people to decide. ``Let us not make murder and lesbianism heroic,'' he said.

Nandy's speech, heard with rapt attention, however did not seem to impress Bharti Ray (CPI-M). The Sena's action in Mumbai was patently illegal and the episode re-emphasised the fact that certain forces were out to throttle the voice of the minority, she said.