Rajput groups: Want nothing less than ban on Padmavati, will vandalise halls

Sukhdev Singh, national president of Karni Sena’s splinter outfit Shri Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena, said Padmavati should be banned and threatened to vandalise cinema halls. (Reuters/Files)

The Shri Rajput Karni Sena’s Rajasthan president Mahipal Singh Makrana on Saturday said the outfit wants nothing less than a ban on Padmavati, when the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has agreed to release Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film with certain changes.

“We don’t understand why the government is making it a prestige issue by insisting that the movie be released one way or another. The CBFC constituted a panel of experts but did not give them any power. The three members who watched the movie — Mewar royal family member Arvind Singh, historian Dr Chandramani Singh and Prof K K Singh of Jaipur University — have opposed the movie,” he said.

“Arvindji pointed out over two dozen mistakes in the movie, Dr Singh said history has been contorted in the movie and Prof Singh said the movie has been made solely to make money. So why is the government insisting on releasing it? The developments come after Gujarat polls. They should know elections to four more states are not far away,” Makrana said.

Sukhdev Singh, national president of Karni Sena’s splinter outfit Shri Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena, said the movie should be banned and threatened to vandalise cinema halls.

“Ask the three committee members if they gave the green signal to the movie’s release. This (the release) cannot happen, we will not allow it. Crores of youths will be on the streets to protest the release,” he said.

Rajput Sabha chief Giriraj Singh Lotwara said the movie should be banned. “The screening committee members have said the movie has nothing to do with history, then why is the CBFC going ahead with it? What was the purpose of the committee then? We demand that the movie should be banned.”

Shri Rajput Karni Sena founder patron Lokendra Singh Kalvi said he “welcomes” the move to screen the movie before a “pre-censor board” but said that it remains to be seen whether the outfit’s concerns have been addressed. “We will see how many cuts are actually there,” Kalvi said.

“The movie is expected to be screened before the remaining members on January 6. The government could have constituted this panel earlier and avoided trouble. The panel is what we had earlier asked for,” he said.