Janjivan Bureau / Jaipur/Sikar/Chandigarh : A day before the release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film ‘Padmaavat’, Rajasthan witnessed a spate of protests with protesters from fringe outfits taking out rallies, blocking roads and damaging vehicles in different parts of the state.
Members of the Karni Sena damaged windows of two state roadways buses and blocked a road in Kalwar area in state capital Jaipur.
“One bus was on its way to New Delhi from Sikar and the second was coming from New Delhi. Windows of the buses were damaged but there was no report of any injury,” said a policeman of Neema Ka Thana police station in Sikar district.
SP Jalore Vikas Kumar said nearly 50 people assembled in Bagoda for protests, prompting the authorities to seal a few areas in the town.
“People have been demonstrating against the film. But the situation is peaceful now,” Kumar said.
In Chittorgarh, a few women were prevented from entering Chittor Fort for holding a protest, Deputy SP Gajendara Singh said.
He said additional police force has been deployed in and around the fort to maintain law and order situation.
The film, slated to be released tomorrow, has been facing protests by Karni Sena and other fringe groups over allegations that historical facts were distorted in the movie.
All the district SPs have been asked to remain alert and forces are on standby to maintain law and order situation in the state, said ADG (law and order) NRK Reddy.
Putting the onus of the protests and violence on film director Bhansali, Shree Rajput Karni Sena chief Lokendra Singh Kalvi said, “We are sorry but our sorry is only for Rani Padmavati who along with 16,000 women had committed Jauhar for protecting self respect,” Kalvi said.
“Janta curfew will be imposed on film halls. I may be arrested and bullets may be fired but this cannot stop us,” he said.
Meanwhile, a Haryana Roadways bus was set on fire near village Bhondsi in Gurugram allegedly by activists of Karni Sena, who were protesting against the release of film ‘Padmaavat’.
This latest incident of hooliganism occurred despite Haryana Police claims that nobody would be allowed to disrupt peace in the state in the wake of the controversial movie’s release tomorrow.
A group of activists torched the Haryana Roadways bus near village Bhondsi on the Sohna road here, police said.
“A bus was burnt in the incident,” said a police official in Gurugram adding that there was no loss of life in the incident.
Activists allegedly owing allegiance to Karni Sena were protesting against the release of the movie, an official said.
Significantly, few days back, Haryana Director General of Police BS Sandhu had cautioned trouble makers asserting that nobody would be allowed to disrupt peace in the state.
The police had also said that it would provide adequate security to the cinema halls that screen the movie on January 25.
A number of fringe groups had threatened multiplex, theatre and cinema hall owners against the screening of the movie alleging that it portrayed the character of ‘Rani Padmavati’ in “poor light”.
Earlier, a group of unidentified hooligans had vandalised a shopping mall in Kurukshetra in January 21. Carrying sharp-edged weapons and sticks, they broke the glasses panes of shops in the mall.
