A scene from the film. As the days draw closer to Padmaavat’s release the Karni Sena or the Rajput Army is getting more belligerent and threatening.
Continuing with their protest against Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Padmaavat”, the Shree Rajput Karni Sena on Friday warned that Censor Board chief Prasoon Joshi will not be allowed to enter the city during the Jaipur Literature Festival and will be “thrashed” if he does so.
“Those supporting release of the film or saying anything in support of the film will never be allowed to get into Jaipur,” Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi, president of Karni Sena, said in a video message.
The change of name of the film from “Padmavati” to “Padmavaat” doesn’t appeal to us. We want a total ban on the film, he said.
He requested that Prime Minister Narendra Modi intervene in the matter and appealed to him to ban the film. He said the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) comes under the central government and hence the government should take action to ban the film.
“Bhansali had promised that the film, once ready, will be first shown to Lokendra Singh Kalvi and other members, but they went ahead and released a trailer and the ‘Ghoomar’ song without showing it to them, which was wrong,” he complained.
He alleged that the government “brings the Hindutva and temple issues only to get votes”.
Vijendra Singh, spokesperson of Karni Sena, said that Prasoon Joshi will be “accorded the same welcome” as was given to Bhansali when he was in Rajasthan. “He will not be allowed to enter our city’s premises. Bhansali was slapped, but he (Joshi) will be thrashed here,” he warned.
He said that NH3 in Uttar Pradesh has been blocked to protest the release of the film.
The Karni Sena will be announcing a Bharat Bandh on January 25, the day the film releases. Lokendra Singh Kalvi, chief of the Rajput association, will be in Mumbai on that day to ensure that the bandh remains effective.
The Delhi Police said it has made proper arrangements to maintain law and order in the capital for the release of “Padmaavat” next week in the wake of a bandh call by the Shree Rajput Karni Sena against the film.
Special Commissioner of Police, Dependra Pathak said, “In view of the screening of ‘Padmaavat’ movie next week in the national capital, we have done proper arrangements. We are continuously in touch with various big and small cineplex managements.”
“We have proper security in the periphery of the national capital and additional force has been kept in readiness. We are urging groups not to indulge in any act which could violate the law and order situation,” Pathak said. (IANS)