A simmering controversy has been sparked by BJP VP Baijayant Jay Panda, who has asked Bollywood to come clean on pictures of certain stars hobnobbing with individuals called Pak sympathisers, some fomenting trouble in Kashmir and some with alleged Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) links.

Background check must

Mumbai is the home of the film industry and these celebrities "have a humongous following, so they have a responsibility in who they are seen with," said Niranjan Shetty, BJP spokesperson. "They cannot get away by saying they don't know. They need to know a bit at least about the background of the person and be wary about any kind of deals, businesses or any social dealings. They should move away completely when it comes to people who are essentially calling for war against their own country."