Minister leads Jats’ protest against Gowariker’s Panipat
UP IN ARMS Tourism minister alleges distortion of historical facts
JAIPUR: Rajasthan tourism minister Vishvendra Singh said on Sunday that legendary Jat ruler, Maharaja Suraj Mal, has been depicted in an unseemly light and historical facts have been distorted in Hindi film Panipat.
The historical period drama directed by Ashutosh Gowariker released on December 6.
Former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje also issued a statement against the film. “Wrong depiction of self-respecting, faithful and ‘hriday samrat’ Maharaja Suraj Mal in the film Panipat is condemnable,” she said.
Vishvendra Singh, who is the 14th generation of the Maharajah Suraj Mal’s line, said, “In light of the vociferous protest by the Jat community in Haryana, Rajasthan and other regions of North India, I believe that the film should be banned to avoid a law and order situation.”
“As a direct descendent, I would like to clarify that it is historical fact that when the Marathas returned from the Battle of Panipat, in defeat and anguish, burdened with their wounded soldiers, such was the benevolence of Maharajah Suraj Mal and
Maharani Kishori that they sheltered the entire Maratha army and their leaders for six months,” Singh said. “Historical proof of this exists in Gagarsoli village in the form of Khande Rao Holkar’s cenotaph,” he added.
The tourism minister urged the government to form a committee to ensure that any such films being made in the future, about a historical lineage or a historical figure must be approved prior to release by the descendants of the same as well as the community.
Vishvendra Singh also took to Twitter to voice his protest. “If the film is not banned, it may lead to a law and order situation,” he tweeted.
Filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker feels raising questions is only natural, and adds that he has clarification for all questions raised. “Whenever we make something on history in a film, it is natural that question will arise over what part of t he s t ory has been included and what has been excluded from the script. A history book contains so many pages of information, but one cannot fit everything into a film. It has to be within a time frame. So people had doubts if the contribution of their family has been showcased in the film,” said Gowariker.