Karni Sena spurns Bhansali offer, calls for ‘janta curfew’
ROW Rajput group refuses to watch film, wants theatres to not screen film voluntarily, and urges army regiments to boycott mess for a day
: Shri Rajput Karni Sena on Saturday turned down ‘Padmaavat’ director Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s offer to watch the film and called for a ‘janta curfew’ wherein cinema halls will voluntarily not screen the movie.
Karni Sena is spearheading a campaign against the film, earlier titled ‘Padmavati’, alleging that it distorts history regarding Rajput queen Padmini. Bhansali has denied the charge.
At a press conference here on Saturday, Karni Sena also urged the Rajput, Sikh and Jat regiments of the Indian Army to boycott their mess for a day in protest against the film and if it does not work, to lay their arms down for a day.
“You defend the country throughout the year, but for a day defend the honour of your sisters and daughters,” Karni Sena state president Mahipal Singh Makrana said in an appeal to “soldiers of Kshatriya regiments”.
Karni Sena patron Lokendra Singh Kalvi said Bhansali’s invitation was a “sham” and sent so that Bhansali can claim later that he was open to suggestions from Karni Sena.
Kalvi also shared the invitation letter from Bhansali Productions with the press.
“Prepare for janta curfew. It happened in Gujarat when the film ‘Fanaa’ came. The film hall owners refused to screen it. A similar situation happened in Rajasthan when the film ‘Jodhaa Akbar’ came. We want a similar situation to prevail in the entire country,” he said.
The film hall owners will have to choose between Khilji and Padmini, Ram and Ravan, and whether they want to celebrate Diwali or ‘Lanka-burning’, Kalvi
JAIPUR Janta curfew happened in Gujarat when film ‘Fanaa’ came. The film hall owners refused to screen it. LOKENDRA SINGH KALVI , Karni Sena patron
said. The film hall owners’ association of Rajasthan have ’blessed’ Karni Sena and agreed to not screen the film in the state, he said.
The central government has the power to stop screening of the film using powers stated under the section 6 of The Cinematograph Act, Kalvi said.
Karni Sena state president Makrana said the Supreme Court decision to stay the ban on the film in some states was a ‘fatwa’ (religious decree) in his group’s view as it is not the work of the courts.
He also called the decision as “one-sided”. Makrana also said the group would have called for a ‘Bharat Bandh’ (India shutdown) on January 25, the date on which the film is slated to release, but stopped short in view of the Republic Day celebration on the next day.