After Rajasthan, Protests Against Padmavati Begins In Delhi

A group of people on Friday staged a protest outside the Azadpur Metro station here against Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s period drama Padmavati.

The group, Rashtriya Chetna Manch, burnt Bhansali’s effigy. Additional DCP Vijayanta Arya told IANS: “A call was received that at least 50-60 people have gathered outside the Azadpur Metro station to burn the effigy of the film director.”

Several organisations across the country have been opposing the release of the movie. The Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor starrer was scheduled to be released on December 1, but now it has been deferred.

On November 22, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani declared his government would not allow the release of Padmavati in the poll-bound state.

Earlier, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan held the film had “distorted facts” about Rajput queen Padmavati and would not be allowed to be released in his state, even if it gets censor board certification.

His Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath had held the movie director responsible for hurting sentiments of the Rajput community, while Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje had sought edits in the film to remove “objectionable sequences”.

Early this morning, a dead body of a 40-year-old man was found hanging from the outer walls of Nahargarh Fort, with the message “‘Padmavati’ ka virodh” – in protest against the film “Padmavati”.

The message, written on the stones near the fort wall adjacent to the body, read, “Hum putle nahin jalate….latkate hain” (we don’t burn effigies, we hang them).

“It is early to comment on it as the matter is under investigation. The identity of the man, around 40-years-old, is yet to be ascertained,” Satyendra Singh, DCP Jaipur (North), told IANS.