‘Padmaavat’ row: Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh to move SC against its order allowing the film’s release
Bus services on over 100 routes in six districts of Gujarat were suspended after violence during protests.
The Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh governments will move the Supreme Court against its order lifting a ban on the release of the film Padmaavat in the state. The movie will hit theatres on January 25.
In Gurugram, members of the Rajput Karni Sena, the outfit which has opposed the movie’s release, distributed memoranda to theatres, asking them not to screen the film, ANI reported. Bus services on over 100 routes in six districts of Gujarat were suspended after violence during protests, according to The Hindu.
Rajasthan Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria met members of the Rajput Karni Sena on Saturday, and announced that the government would file a review petition in the top court. “The government has decided to appeal,” he said, according to The Indian Express. “We have done our preparations. We may move the appeal on Monday or Tuesday.”
Kataria said that the basis of the appeal will be protecting the “rich history of Rajasthan”, along with law and order considerations. He also asked the Rajput Karni Sena, the Rajput community and the former Udaipur royal family to become party to the appeal so as to “strengthen” it.
However, he added that the state would provide Central Board of Film Certification Chairperson Prasoon Joshi “all the protection he needs” to visit Rajasthan for the Jaipur Literature Festival, ANI reported. The Rajput Karni Sena had on Friday said it would not allow Joshi to enter the festival.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also said that his government would approach the Supreme Court to stop the release of Padmaavat, PTI reported. “We would once again knock on the top court’s doors,” he told reporters in Indore.
Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat had banned the release of the film, before the Supreme Court set aside the order on Thursday.
Meanwhile, unidentified individuals vandalised the Rajhans Cinemas in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad late on Saturday night in protest against Padmaavat, ANI reported.