A day before the release of “Padmaavat”, fringe groups like Shree Rajput Karni Sena, which have vowed to block the screening of the film in defiance of the Supreme Court orders, intensified their protests on Wednesday. Violent protests were reported from Haryana, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh — the four States that had initially banned the movie — Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. In view of violence, the Multiplex Association of India said its members would not screen the controversial film in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Goa, where the Karni Sena has threatened “Janta curfew”.
The protesters did not spare even schoolchildren. They pelted stones on a school bus in Gurugram. The students had to crouch low on the ground, some with their hands gagging their mouths in fear, to save themselves from the violent protesters. Many of them were heard crying in a mobile phone video that captured several terrifying moments on the bus. Teachers and students were seen in the video on the space between the seats, ducking to take cover from the hail of stones. A teacher had her arms wrapped around a frightened girl. The school bus was right behind a State-run bus that had been set on fire by the mob on Wednesday afternoon.
Karni Sena supporters blocked traffic at the Khidki Daula toll plaza on the Delhi-Jaipur National Highway in Gurugram. 20 people were arrested in Gurugram for allegedly violating prohibitory orders.
In Jammu, protesters targeted a cinema hall breaking window panes while trying to burn a ticketing counter.
Meanwhile, putting the onus of the protests and violence on film director Bhansali, 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. Janta curfew will be imposed on film halls. I may be arrested and bullets may be fired, but this cannot stop us.”
“Those who watched the film on the invitation by the censor board a few days back have said that there is a dream sequence between Alauddin Khilji and Rani Padmavati in the film. We have been demanding that there should be no dream sequence and no romantic scene between the two,” he said.
Protest spread to Madhya Pradesh as various fringe outfits staged demonstrations in Indore and other towns and blocked National Highway-3, which links Agra with Mumbai, near Pigdambar crossing in Kishanganj area in Indore. A car was set on fire in Bhopal. Agitations were also carried out in Sagar, Guna, Bhopal, and Ratlam.
Rajasthan witnessed a spate of protests with protesters taking out rallies, blocking roads and damaging vehicles in different parts of the State. Members of the Karni Sena damaged windows of two State buses and blocked a road in Kalwar area in Jaipur. In Chittorgarh, a few women were prevented from entering Chittor Fort for holding a protest.
Karni Sena protesters raised slogans near malls and theatres in Lucknow. High alert has been sounded in UP and all district police chiefs have been asked to be vigilant and additional forces have been put on standby. In Etawah, police lathicharged protesters who damaged vehicles and forced shops to shut down.
In Gujarat, cinema owners decided not to screen the controversial film. Despite appeal from the State Government as well as leaders of Rajput community, unrest continued across the State. Police had to fire in the air as protest in Ahmedabad turned violent.