The Supreme Court will on Tuesday 23rd January, hear the pleas of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh governments against the release of Bollywood film Padmaavat. Both the state governments have moved the apex court seeking recall of its January 18 orders allowing the screening of the controversial film in theaters across India on the grounds that its release would create “law and order” problems.
The top court had, on January 18, lifted the ban on the release of the movie on January 25 across India. It had also undemonstrative other states from issuing orders banning the Deepika Padukone-starrer, based on the saga of a historic 13th century battle between Maharaja Ratan Singh and his army of Mewar and Sultan Alauddin Khilji of Delhi. Two bodies which have been protesting against the film Shree Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena and Akhil Bharatiya Kshatriya Mahasabha, also moved the apex court seeking their impleadment as parties, opposing its release on grounds including that it hurt the sentiments of the community.
“People, worship Rani Padmavati, not simply as a historical character but she has been given a status of ‘goddess’ who defended her honour against a Muslim invader,” Rajasthan said in its plea. Maintaining that states were under constitutional obligation to maintain law and order, the to court had said this duty also included providing police protection to persons involved in the film, its exhibition and the audience.
