'Padmavat' won’t be released in Rajasthan: Vasundhara Raje

JAIPUR: Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film “Padmavati” — retitled “Padmavat” — which has been at the centre of a controversy for weeks, will not be released in Rajasthan, chief minister Vasundhara Raje said on Monday.
Amid reports that the movie is set for a January 25 release, Raje said in a statement that respecting the sentiments of the people of the state, the movie will not be screened in any cinema hall in Rajasthan.“...Rani Padmini’s sacrifice is a matter of honour and pride for the state and hence Rani Padmini is not just a chapter in history but our dignity. We will not allow defamation of her honour,” read the statement. It said necessary directives have also been issued to ensure this.
The move to ban ‘Padmavat’ in Rajasthan comes at a time when Rajput outfits have announced that they will protest the release of the film at “any cost”.
Several Rajput organisations came together on Monday to protest the release and even threatened to gather at cinema halls with batons and petrol to protest the release.

Addressing the media, Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi, national president of Shri Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena said, “Let me make it loud and clear that India will burn if the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), producers or cinema hall owners release the film on January 25. We will not tolerate this attempt of defaming our mother Rani Padmavati.”
Making a mockery of the disclaimer by the producers of the film about all characters and events being fictitious and any resemblance to any living person or character being purely coincidental, Gogamedi threatened, “We will go to the cinema halls wherever the film is screened with lathis and petrol, and term them phool (flower) and Gangajal before using them at cinema halls. Having set the cinema halls on fire, we will show them placards with disclaimers saying no one should get offended as we have just offered phool and Gangajal.”

“Three members of the special committee, who were shown the film, clearly said after watching the movie said it should not be released as it will also create differences between Brahmins and Rajputs and is also against Muslims and Rajputs. If their recommendations were not to be regarded, why did Prasoon Joshi invite them? We urge PM Narendra Modi to collect the resignation of his ministers Smriti Irani and Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and also suspend Prasoon Joshi with immediate effect,” he added.