Clarifying the Punjab Government’s stand on the screening of ‘Nanak Shah Fakir’ movie, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Tuesday said that the government has decided not to intervene in the matter considering the film-makers’ reported decision not to release the controversial movie in the state.
“Any decision to ban on the movie has become unnecessary in view of the film-makers’ decision against releasing it in Punjab,” said Capt Amarinder.
Notably, the makers of the film, in their petition before the Supreme Court, had clearly stated that “looking at the sensitivity of the issue and the public sentiment involved”, they had decided “not to release the film in the state of Punjab for the time being”.
Taking cognizance of the submission, Capt Amarinder said that no action was required on the part of the state government in the matter at present. The government would review the situation and take an appropriate decision if the same becomes necessary in the future, he added.
Interestingly, the news of imposing ban on the movie in Punjab was even confirmed by the government officials, only to retract later. Soon the news of ban went viral on the social media, Chief Minister’s official statement was issued in the evening denying imposing any sort of prohibition or intervention in the issue.
“Contrary to what was being stated in a section of the media, no orders banning the movie in Punjab had been issued by his government,” said the Chief Minister in the statement.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has cleared the decks for an all-India release of the controversial movie on April 13, Friday.
Capt Amarinder has made it clear that his government would take all possible steps, as and when deemed necessary, to ensure that there is no disruption of law and order in the state. Any attempt to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere in the state would be dealt with an iron hand, he said adding that he had also taken note of the Akal Takht decision with regard to the film.
Sikhs’ highest temporal seat, Akal Takht, had a day before decided to ban the movie amid protests by several Sikh organizations, who had objected to the portrayal of Guru Nanak, saying that any on-screen depiction of a Sikh Guru or his family members was against the tenets of Sikh religion.
Projecting the Guru and his family as human beings was offensive to the principles of Sikhism, they said.
The Chief Minister was of the view that while authors, film-makers etc had the creative freedom of expression, such freedom could not be allowed to violate the religious sensitivities of any community.
At the same time, he appealed to the protesting Sikh organizations not to resort to violence or cause any damage to life and property to express their resentment against the movie.