Reconsider order on Padmaavat release: Rajasthan, MP govts move SC seeking ban on film

Not willing to budge from their stand Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh governments on Monday moved the Supreme Court seeking modification of its order allowing pan-India release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s controversial film Padmaavat. The top court is slated to hear the matter on Tuesday.

The move comes even as cinema hall owners in Madhya Pradesh have told the government that they would follow Supreme Court order and release the film, starring Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh, in all theatres across the state on January 25. According to them, the film will be released in at least 150 theatres across Madhya Pradesh.

In Rajasthan, the protests against the film have intensified, with Sri Rajput Karni Sena going all out against the film and asking theatre owners to not screen the movie till Supreme Court decides on the review petition filed by the state. Meanwhile, thousands of women brandishing swords on Sunday took out a 'Chetavani Rally' or a warning march in Rajasthan's Chittorgarh town to warn the authorities to stop the release of 'Padmaavat' movie or else be prepared for 'jauhar' by them.

Among the protesters were women, said to total 1,908, who have already registered for performing 'jauhar' (committing suicide by jumping into fire) in Chittorgarh. 

The protesters began their march from the Chittorgarh Fort and ended it at the main market in the town where they submitted a memorandum addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to District Collector Indrajeet Singh.

Rajput Karni Sena has, meanwhile, said that the body will approach cinema hall owners across India in the next three days to request them not to screen the Sanjay Leela Bhansali movie. Karni Sena spokesperson Vijendra Singh further said that cinema hall owners screening Padmaavat would face the consequences.

It's not just in Rajasthan that the protests have intensified. On Sunday, members of Karni Sena and other Rajput organisations damaged DND flyover toll plaza counters and set ablaze a barrier.

Violent protests by members of the Rajput community were also witnessed across Gujarat on Sunday, with agitators damaging buses and blocking roads.Following incidents of protesters damaging and setting buses on fire, the police issued a stern warning and deployed more personnel in the affected areas. The Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) also suspended its services in northern parts of the state.