Padmavati row: Karni Sena calls for Bharat Bandh on Dec 1

Dubbing Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone’s statement regarding the movie ‘Padmavati’ provocative, the Shri Rajput Karni Sena on Wednesday called for a ‘Bharat Bandh’ (shutdown) on December 1 if Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s movie was released on that date.

“We will hold rallies across the country, including Gurugram, Patna, Lucknow and Bhopal before the release date,” Lokendra Singh Kalvi, founder-patron of the Shri Rajput Karni Sena, an organisation of the Rajput community, told the media here.

He said that all communities, including Muslims, supported the Sena on the issue.

“We demand a complete ban on the film. Now, we don’t want any pre-screening of the movie. All we want is a ban,” he said.

He claimed that as per the Cinematography Act, the government can withhold the release of a movie for three months even after a go-ahead by the Central Board of Film Certification and it can be extended further.

“We request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the matter,” Kalvi said.

He flayed



Deepika Padukone’s statement that “nothing can stop the movie’s release”, dubbing it “provoking”.

Activists of the Karni Sena had on Tuesday vandalised a theatre in Kota in Rajasthan after reports that it was showing a trailer of ‘Padmavati’.

The protestors pelted stones and broke windowpanes, gates and the ticket counter and also damaged some office furniture between 3.30 p.m. and 4 p.m. at the theatre in Akash Mall, Anand Yadav, Circle Incharge of Gumanpura police station, said.

Kalvi said that Bhansali’s team had assured them in writing a few months ago that they will pre-screen the movie and take Rajput organisations into confidence before the movie’s release.

“But they did not do so,” Kalvi said.

In January, activists of the Shri Rajput Karni Sena had protested, manhandled and misbehaved with the crew of ‘Padmavati’ in Jaipur, claiming that Bhansali was “distorting” historical facts in the movie.

They had also damaged some cameras and other equipment. Bhansali had to stop shooting.