Nawab Saif Ali Khan in trouble

Khan, the Nawab of Bhopal, was in the city on Friday night to see the World Series Hockey game between Bhopal Badshahs and Delhi Wizards and to promote his forthcoming film Agent Vinod.

The protesters, led by Congress leader Arif Masood, also threatened that Khan's films will not be screened in the city until an Indian national is re-appointed as caretaker of the rubaats, the guest houses in Saudi Arabia where Haj pilgrims from Bhopal stay.

"There were 45 rubaats of the Hyderabad Nizam in Saudi Arabia but their number came down to one after Saudi nationals were appointed as caretakers," Masood told reporters, explaining the reason for protesting the decision.

Last year, after the death of Khan's father Mansour Ali Khan Pataudi, the caretaker of rubaats, who was an Indian, was replaced by a Saudi national. The decision has been widely criticised by locals.