Padma protestors lay siege to heritage Chittorgarh fort

Protesters on Friday blocked the entry to the Chittorgarh Fort, which houses Padmini's Palace, brandished swords and some even fired in the air in a show of bravado.

Fearing the worst, authorities decided to skip the scheduled halt of the luxury train 'Palace on Wheels' at Chittorgarh and instead proceeded straight to Udaipur.

The Supreme Court on Friday, meanwhile, has admitted a PIL for deletion of the alleged "objectionable" scenes in the film "Padmavati."

More than 4,000 activists that owe allegiance to fringe Rajput organisation have converged outside Chittorgarh Fort — home of the legendary Rajput queen. The symbolism of the protest outside the fort -- a UNESCO heritage site – is not lost on onlookers. Not just Padmavati but 16,000 women from other castes had committed jauhar, or mass suicide, when invader Allaudin Khilji was set to conquer the fort in 1303.

Protestors did not allow anyone inside the medieval fort, which is a major tourist attraction. They also strung up effigies of director Bhansali and actor Deepika Padukone who is the main protagonist in the film. Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has thus far maintained a deafening silence; she has steered clear of the controversy, even after Karni Sena

activists went on the rampage in some parts of the state and one of their leaders threatened to "chop off Deepika's nose".

Attacking the filmmaker yet again, Karni Sena President Lokendra Singh said on Friday the group would not allow the film's release. "Do not provoke us," he threatened while speaking to ANI. Referring to the filmmaker and the raging controversy, he asked, "Who is responsible for the situation?"

In March, the Chittorgarh Fort was vandalised by a group of men who broke mirrors installed at the Padmini Palace. The Karni Sena has called for a country-wide bandh on December 1, the day the film is slated to be released. However, the SP of Chittorgarh claimed the fort is not officially closed; nor is it under siege. In Sikar district, effigies were burnt in Fatehpur and Lakshmangarh; in Alwar, former minister Jitendra Singh demanded that the central government set up a committee of prominent historians to decide the film's fate. Several other outfits, including some of Brahmins, have opposed the release of the film scheduled for December 1.

Meanwhile, Shri Rajput Karni Sena's state chief Mahipal Singh Makrana claimed that he had received a call from a Pakistani number threatening to kill Lokendra Kalvi, the organisation's chief, and told them to stop their protest.