Padma stir takes shape in Chittor

Chittor in Rajasthan is becoming the nerve centre of the protest against Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus Padmaavat. On Sunday, hundreds of women staged a 'Swabhiman Rally' against the screening of the movie: They carried swords as a mark of protest. The rally, which went through the lanes and bylanes of Chittor, ended at Jauhar Bhavan. Hundreds of women from nearby areas, including Madhya Pradesh, joined them in solidarity. Several women have threatened to commit jauhar (self-immolation), a day prior to the scheduled release of Padmavaat -- that is, January 25.

The Rajasthan government, meanwhile, has invited the Rajput Karni Sena and Rajput associations to be a party in its review petition in the Supreme Court against its order allowing the release of film "Padmaavat".

Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria told IANS that the invitation was given to "strengthen the case" against the Hindi movie which critics say distorts Rajput history.

The Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation, meanwhile, has suspended its bus services in northern parts of the state, following violent protests by the Rajput community. The bus services were suspended in Mehsana,

Patan, Gandhinagar, Sabarkantha and Banaskantha districts. The Karni Sena has vandalised theatres and even burnt two buses in Gujarat: the big idea is to create such an atmosphere of fear and tension, that theatre owners are terrified to screen the film in their cinema halls. The fringe group has distributed memorandums in Gurugram theatres, asking them not to screen the film.

Three crucial polls are to be held in Rajasthan this month, including for Lok Sabha constituencies of Ajmer and Alwar. In political circles, it is believed that the Rajasthan Government did not want to antagonize the Rajput community. Hence the ban had been imposed.