Film director Madhur Bhandarkar had to cancel his press conference organised to promote his film, 'Indu Sarkar', on Saturday after Congress workers insisted that he hold a talk with them and clarify his stand on the film, which is to be released on July 28. The film is set in the backdrop of the Emergency of 1975 and Congress workers were opposing its release.

The press conference was to be held at an educational institute, but Bhandarkar cancelled it as a number of Congress activists had gathered at the venue. Bhandarkar left for his hotel and was followed by city Congress chief Ramesh Bagwe and other party workers. Amidst huge bando bast at the hotel, Bagwe demanded that Bhandarkar must meet Congress workers and discuss the issue with them. “However, he refused to meet us. We wanted to request him not to defame the former PM of India,“ said Bagwe in a release.

Later, Bhandarkar tweeted “Congress workers hv barged in the Hotel lobby & created a ruckus, me & team are stranded like hostages in hotel room. #pune activity cancelled“.

Deputy commissioner of police (special branch) Sanjay Baviskar said, “We detained 22 Congress workers for unlawful assembly as they had not taken permission to assemble at the hotel in Koregaon Park.“