New Delhi: As Supreme court’s decision to uplift the ban on Padmavat in four states but still issues with Rajput Karni Sena which Thursday gave a call for Janata Curfew and desist public from watching Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus. “I don’t wish to call for a bandh protesting the movie’s release on January 25 or on January 26 (Republic Day). I ask people to enforce a Janata Curfew. People should desist from watching the movie,” Karni Sena chief Lokendra Singh Kalvi told reporters in Ujjain. The Karni Sena chief, who attended the felicitation function, refused to comment on Supreme Court’s decision but said, “We are considering (strategies in view of) the changed situation after the SC order. But can any film hall screen the movie against the wishes of the state government.” Despite getting the clearance certificate from CBFC, Karni Sena is trying their best to ban Padmaavat. The Karni Sena said, “I will trust a black dog, but not Bhansali. He himself does not know what movie he wishes to make. History or based on history or fiction,” Kalvi said adding, “He has obtained different certifications from the British Censor Board and Indian Censor board; he gives a different information to the Parliament.”
The self-vigilante group is now planning to meet Prime Minister to implement the ban on Padmaavat again. “Central cabinet has the right to prevent the screening of a movie by overriding censor board recommendations under Section 6(1) (2) of the Cinematography Act. The SC also gives this power to under the Act to the central government to ban the movie in exceptional circumstances… is this not an exceptional circumstance.”
Karni Sena on Saturday also claimed that Director of Padmaavat Sanjay Leela Bhansali has invited its members to watch the film. The members of the group and Bhansali have been at loggerheads after the outfit alleged that the film shows the fictitious character of Padmavati, also revered in the community, in poor light. The tensions escalated further when state governments of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Haryana led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) decided to ban the film. However, the ban was lifted by the Supreme Court in its order on January 18 this month.
Miffed after the order, Sena Chief Lokendra Singh Kalvi urged people to impose a curfew on theatres across the country. “I appeal to the social outfits across the country to not let Padmavati run. People should impose a curfew on cinema halls,” said Karni Sena chief Lokendra Singh Kalvi. Echoing similar sentiments, former BJP leader Suraj Pal Amu said the releasing the film will result in breaking up of India.
Supreme Court on Thursday lifted the ban on Padmaavat after hearing the plea filed by the producers of the film. The bench, also comprising Justices an M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, observed that the states are obliged to maintain law and order. “We direct that there shall be a stay of operation on the notification and orders issued and we also restrain other states from issuing such notifications or orders in this matter,” the bench said in its interim order new as per media reports.