Thirteen women's groups including Alochana, Bharatiya Mahila Federation, Janwadi Mahila Sanghatana, Nari Samata Manch, Masoom and Nigarani, stated that they condemned the manner in which the Shiv Sena forcefully stopped screening of the film at Mumbai and the subsequent ban in Pune.

They criticised the Shiv Sena for taking the law into its own hands to mount an attack on the freedom of expression and censor what does not fit into its own norms of ``Indian culture''.

``Fire happens to be one of the most restrained and realistic films to be made in recent times. To say that lesbian relationships are a Western conceptand unknown to Indian society only expose the ignorance of those making such statements,'' says the signed statement.

The organisations have also condemned the targeting of Shabana Azmi over a period of time. ``Her role as a Member of Parliament should not restrict her role as an artiste,'' says the release.