On Tuesday, author and columnist Shobhaa De put out a series of tweets criticising Maharashtra government's decision to make it mandatory for multiplexes to screen at least one Marathi film between 6 pm-9 pm every day.

Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik did not like De's tweets. While he has a twitter account himself, he chose not to use it to air disagreement with her views. Instead, he took his objections to the state assembly where he moved a privilege motion against her.

A privilege motion allows a member of a legislative house to call attention to any statement made in public, either in the form of a speech or published and aired in the media, that casts 'reflections’ on the house and its members, which may impede them from discharging their functions.

So what did Shobhaa De say in her tweets that could affect the functioning of the Maharashtra assembly?

 

 

According to media reports, Sarnaik, elected from Mira-Bhayander on the outskirts of Mumbai, took the view that De's tweets amounted to an insult to Maharashtra. He claimed the author had hurt the sentiments of the house which had supported culture minister Vinod Tawde’s decision to screen Marathi films in all multiplexes each evening.

 

Shobhaa De quickly shot back with a tweet as soon as the news of the privilege motion came in.

 

This is not the first time that Shobhaa De and Shiv Sena have found each other at loggerheads over tweets. In the wake of Telangana’s formation, De had tweeted in 2013 that 'Mumbai has always fancied itself as an independent entity’ which drew ire from both the Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena.

Even as MNS chief Raj Thackeray made personal remarks against her, Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Rout demanded a police case against her and even the BJP’s Mumbai unit president Ashish Shelar told the legislative council to take action against De’s tweet.

But a privilege motion could be more serious business. If passed, the Assembly could ask the accused to appear before the assembly. The accusedhasd could be let off with a warning or sent to prison. Until 7 pm on Wednesday evening, Sarnaik's motion had not been admitted.

When contacted, Shobhaa De declined comment. Sarnaik did not take phone calls.

On Twitter, many took De's side for speaking her mind.