BJP raps lawmaker for deepika bounty
new delhi — As the protests over Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s yet-to-be released Padmavati intensified, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday said the film will not be released in his state even if it clears the Censor Board, while his Punjab counterpart Amarinder Singh backed the Rajput community for objecting to Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s historical drama that is mired in controversy.
The protests against the movie assumed a dangerous dimension on Sunday when a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) offered a Rs100 million ($1.5 million) reward to anyone who beheads the lead actress and the director of the film over its alleged handling of the relationship between the Hindu queen and a Muslim ruler.
Suraj Pal Amu, a BJP leader from Haryana, offered the bounty against actress Deepika Padukone and filmmaker Bhansali. The film’s producers postponed the release of the film, which was set to be in theatres on December 1, the same day.
Speaking at a public rally, Amu also said the film would not be allowed to be released at all, local media reported.
The BJP, however, ordered Amu to apologise publicly after he offered the reward. “We will not tolerate any violent remarks from our party members, but we also want the director to respect India’s history,” said Anil Jain, the head of the BJP’s state unit in Haryana. He said the party was considering legal action.
While Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Chouhan announced in Bhopal at an event that the film has “distorted history” and thus cannot be allowed for “release” in his state, the Punjab Chief Minister Singh said it was the right of Rajput people to protest as the film is a “distortion of history which no one will accept”.
“If historical facts are distorted, and if anything is shown or said in the movie against the respect of the country’s mother Padmavatiji, then that movie cannot be allowed to release in the land of Madhya Pradesh,” Chouhan said, eliciting a rousing applause from the audience.
“And I am saying this because people of the country and Madhya
We will not tolerate any violent remarks [rs100m bounty on deepika and bhansali] from our party members, but we also want the director to respect India’s history Anil Jain, head of BJP unit in Haryana
Pradesh cannot accept disrespect of their pride,” the BJP leader added. “The insult will not be tolerated,” Chouhan said.
He said even if the movie is passed by the Censor Board for release in the country, it won’t make it to the screens in the state.
His comment followed a meeting he had with representatives of the Rajput community on Monday morning.
Amarinder Singh, in his comments said: “Anything that is historical event... no one will object. But here they are distorting history,” Singh told reporters.
“I have also gone to Chittor and returned and seen all things there... So, this is distortion of history and no one will accept it.”
“And if communities are objecting to it then it is their right to object,” the Punjab Chief Minister added.
Padmavati is based on a 16th century Sufi epic poem, Padmavat, a fictional account of a brave and beautiful Rajput queen who chose to kill herself rather than be captured by the Muslim sultan of Delhi, Allaudin Khilji. Over the centuries, the epic has come to be seen as history, even though there is little historical evidence.
Padukone plays the role of Padmini, the legendary queen who committed “jauhar,” the medieval Rajput practice in which women of royal households walked into funeral fires to embrace death over the dishonour of being taken captive.
Padmavati has been in trouble since the beginning of the year, with fringe groups in the western state of Rajasthan attacking the film’s set, threatening to burn down theaters that show it and even physically attacking Bhansali in January.
Most of the anger at the film appears to stem from allegations that
Having a CbFC (Central board of Film Certification) is sheer hypocrisy when the government has set itself up as censor. Naseeruddin Shah, actor
Bhansali distorted history by filming a romantic dream sequence between the film’s main protagonists. Bhansali has denied the allegations.
Earlier this month, the head of the Rajput Karni Sena in Rajasthan said Padukone should have her nose cut — a symbol of public humiliation — for being part of a film that allegedly insulted the famed queen.
Meanwhile, Deepika Padukone has pulled out of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, that will have US President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka attend the inauguration on November 28. She had earlier confirmed her participation, an official said. — IANS, AP, Reuters
Padmavati has not yet received certification from CbFC. In view of this, our interference will tantamount to prejudging the matter. We don’t intend to do so. Supreme Court I have also gone to Chittor and returned and seen all things there... so, this is distortion of history and no one will accept it... and if communities are objecting to it then it is their right to object. Amarinder Singh, Punjab CM If historical facts are distorted, and if anything is shown or said in the movie against the respect of the country’s mother Padmavatiji, then that movie cannot be allowed to release in the land of madhya Pradesh. Shivraj Singh Chouhan, MP CM one has to see the film first and then go for argument and debate with reasoning. This much tolerance is needed in a democratic country. Gautam Ghose, filmmaker It is obvious that a film and an artist don’t count when more important things like elections are at stake. Hansal Mehta, filmmaker The Padmavati episode is really tragic. Freedom of speech and expression are key to a good democracy. Anees Bazmee, filmmaker