Karni Sena, the fringe group that has been at the forefront of protests against Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film, Padmaavat, has refused to back down after the Supreme Court told states that they could ban the movie on grounds of risk to public order. Its leader, Lokendra Singh, asked social organisations across the country to make sure that the movie is not shown in cinema halls.
“I appeal to social organisations in the entire country: Padmavati nahi chalni chahiye. Film hall par janata curfew laga de (The movie should not run. Public should enforce a curfew at cinema halls), Mr Singh declared soon after the Supreme Court ticked off four state governments ruled by the BJP for refusing to screen the film.
Within hours of his comment, news came from Bihar’s Muzaffarnagar that some people, who identified themselves as members of the local Karni Sena unit, vandalised a cinema hall.
“States cannot use their machinery to prohibit its exhibition citing risk to public order,” the Supreme Court ordered.
The movie – which has Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Shahid Kapoor in the leading roles has been beset by trouble since the shooting started. Its sets have been vandalised twice in Rajasthan’s Jaipur and Maharashtra’s Kolhapur. It is set to release on 25th January, 2018.