‘Padmavati’ protesters close Chittorgarh Fort, shots fired

TNS & agencies

Jaipur/New Delhi, November 17

Rajasthan was today rocked by fresh protests against period drama ‘Padmavati’ with protestors blocking entry to the Chittorgarh Fort and burning effigies of filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali and shots being fired in the air.

Sarv Samaj Samiti Protest Committee members restricted the entry to Chittorgarh Fort by closing the Padan Pol gate. Someone from the protesters opened fire from an old rifle during the sit-in, Additional SP Rajan Dushyant said, adding the person was identified and booked. Otherwise, he said, it was a peaceful sit-in amidst deployment of extra force around the fort.

“We have been holding a sit-in for the past seven days near the fort. Over 1,000 members of the Sarv Samaj Samiti participated in the protest today. The gate was closed to block the entry of tourists for the first time. Guide, tourists, photographers and auto-drivers extended their full support to the demand for ban on the controversial film,” Narpat Singh Bhati, Samiti convener said.

Member of Parliament CP Joshi met the protesters and promised that their sentiments would be conveyed to people concerned, Chittorgarh District Collector Indrajeet Singh said.

Authorities decided not to make the scheduled halt of the luxury train ‘Palace on Wheels’ at Chittorgarh and instead continued its journey to Udaipur due to the protests.

In Jaipur, Sarv Samaj members, demonstrated outside a multiplex in Vaishali Nagar, where the movie was scheduled to be screened, and also burnt Bhansali's effigy.

In Bikaner, Bajrang Dal activists burnt Bhansali's effigy outside the district collectorate. A rally was taken out from Tulsi circle to collectorate and a memorandum addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi was submitted against the film.

Shri Rajput Karni Sena president Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi said in Bengaluru that if the film was not banned, the organisation would intensify its agitation across the country.

Meanwhile, looking at the tension around the release of the film, the Mumbai police warned protestors against being ‘adventurous’. Joint Commissioner of Police (Law & Order) Deven Bharti said: “Any individual or group which attempts to be adventurous, will be dealt sternly and will face strict legal action.”

CBFC returns film to makers 

• The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has sent ‘Padmavati’ back to the makers as the application for the certification was “incomplete”
• The CBFC said the movie would be reviewed as per the set norms once it is sent back to the board after sorting out the issue

Book filmmakers: plea in SC  

• A fresh plea has been moved in the Supreme Court on Friday to remove alleged objectionable scenes and registration of an FIR against the makers of 'Padmavati'
• A Bench of CJI Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud agreed to hear the plea but refused for its urgent listing