Dera chief''s film ''MSG'' hits theaters amid protests

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 13

Amid protest from various outfits, the controversial film “ MSG – The Messenger” was released in several states across the country, even as it was held back in certain places.

(See video Sikh outfits protest against release of ‘MSG’)

In Karnal, cinema halls have put the screening of MSG on hold. Students of various schools and colleges held protests against its release. Security forces have been deployed near cinema halls in Karnal.

INLD workers staged a dharna, demanding ban on the movie in front of Mini Secretariat in Karnal.  

In Kurukshetra, a protest demonstration was held by INLD workers against MSG screening.

In Sirsa, too, screening of the film “MSG” started amidst tight security.  The police rounded up Digvijay Singh Chautala among other INLD supporters when they were proceeding towards a cinema hall to oppose the screening of the film.

The first show of the film was screened in Ambala in the morning.

Protest demonstrations were held by INLD workers against the release of the movie in Panchkula, Delhi and Jammu.

The film was scheduled to be released in over 4,000 screens across the country on Friday.

Meanwhile, the screening of the controversial movie 'MSG' was today stopped at several cinema halls in West Delhi following protests by Shiromani Akali Dali (Badal) activists and some other groups.

Protestors also burnt the effigy and posters of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, demanding a ban on the screening of the movie.

The police have beefed up security outside cinema halls where the movie is to be screened, especially in West Delhi having several Sikh-dominated areas.

Raja Garden, Subhash Nagar, Vikaspuri were among the areas where screeing of MSG were stopped for several hours after the protests.

Apart from West Delhi, security was also beefed up outside other cinema halls screeing MSG across the National Capital.

Sources in the police said that owners of cinema theatres situated in West Delhi have told them that they would not screen the movie till the situation is normal.

Hundreds of Sikhs, led by Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Committee (DSGMC) president Manjit Singh GK, gathered for protest near a movie theatre in Raja Garden and thereafter, the screening of the film had to be stopped for more than four hours.

According to the police, during protests, supporters of Dera Sachcha Sauda and SAD (Badal) came face to face which triggered a law and order problem in the area.

When senior police officials intervened, protestors called off their protest outside the cinema halls.

“Security has been beefed up outside all cinema halls where this movie is to be screened. Police are also taking precautionary steps to maintain law and order in the area,” DCP (west) Pushpendra Kumar said.