A school bus was on Wednesday pelted with stones in Gurugram by protesters who were opposing the release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film ‘Padmaavat'. Students of GD Goenka World School were seen ducking on the floor of the bus to escape the shards of glass, in a video that was doing the rounds on social media.
Violent protests spread to towns and cities in many states, including Rajasthan, Haryana, Maharashtra and UP, a day ahead of the release of ‘Padmaavat', as fringe groups opposing the film remained defiant.
Karni Sena members allegedly damaged two state roadways buses in Jaipur and blocked a road in the city’s Kalwar area and scores of actvists were held in Mumbai and Nashik.
As soon as we came out of the school the bus was attacked. Even the police could not control them. The children somehow took cover inside the bus.: School staff on their school bus attacked by vandals in protest against release of #Padmavaat in Gurugram, #Haryana pic.twitter.com/4mebxa2jNB
— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2018
Jo bhi ho raha hai dukhad hai, galat hai, par ab mann ki jwala ko sadkon pe dhadhakne se koi rok nhi sakta, main bhi nhi: Lokendra Singh Kalvi, Rajput Karni Sena #Padmavaat pic.twitter.com/ZCzbH0gIMS
— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2018
Mann ki jwala hai mat tatolo, jauhar ki jwala bahut kuch jala degi. Roko Padmavati ruk gayi, #Padmaavat ko bhi roko, Jal jaayega desh. Mat karo yeh paap.: Lokendra Singh Kalvi, Rajput Karni Sena pic.twitter.com/1excJVAj3P
— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2018
Meanwhile, in Ahmedabad, the police arrested 50 people in connection with the violence and vandalism outside malls last night. As many as 30 bikes and scooters, parked outside three multiplexes in the city were set ablaze by protesters.
In a yet another worrying sign for the controversy-mired flick, the Multiplex Association of India, which represents about 75 per cent of multiplex owners, said the film would not be screened in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Goa.
“We have decided not to play the film in four states — Rajasthan, Gujarat, MP and Goa—as the local management has told us that the law and order situation is not conducive,” Deepak Asher, president of the association, tol.
In Gujarat, theatre owners said that the film would not be screened in any of the multiplexes or single screens till the row was resolved.
A school bus was attacked, wouldn't have been able to forgive ourselves had a child got injured. I appeal to protest peacefully. It'll end only when PM, HM or Amit Shah come forward to speak. I appeal everyone to boycott #Padmaavat. It'll add to nation's dignity: Suraj Pal Amu pic.twitter.com/1U8ie5GfRU
— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2018
Haryana: A school bus attacked by vandals protesting against release of #Padmavaat in #Gurugram (Pictures from User Video) pic.twitter.com/rAQTPJaILD
— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2018
Madhya Pradesh was another state where fringe outfits staged demonstrations. Nearly 200 protesters blocked National Highway-3, which links Agra with Mumbai, near Pigdambar crossing in Kishanganj area in Indore district and broke glass bottles on the road, police said.
As protests raged, a defiant Shree Rajput Karni Sena, which has been spearheading the opposition to the Bollywood period drama, sought to pin the blame on film director Bhansali.
The fringe outfit’s chief patron Lokendra Singh Kalvi also insisted that a ‘Janta curfew’ will be imposed on theatres that screen the movie.
#WATCH: Protesters torched bus and pelted stones in protest against #Padmaavat at Gurugrams' Sohna Road. #Haryana pic.twitter.com/B13t6l8XuI
— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2018
Uttarakhand: Security forces deployed at multiplexes in Dehradun ahead of the release of #Padmaavat tomorrow pic.twitter.com/GYGmQZ04aS
— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2018
He also claimed that Shiv Sena leaders had assured the Karni Sena of support on the issue in Maharashtra.
A 'Janta curfew' will be imposed at any cost in film halls to stop the film’s screening, Kalvi said.
The fringe outfit leader also alleged that a dream sequence between the characters of Alauddin Khilji and Rani Padmavati existed in the controversial film, which, he said, was “intolerable”.
“Those who watched the film on the invitation by the censor board 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 told a press conference in Jaipur.
The way the school bus was attacked, another bus torched can't be forgiven. Khattar govt failed to maintain law & order on all fronts. It's govts' duty to uphold SC's order. If they're failing, they have no right to be in power: Randeep Surjewala, Congress #Padmaavat pic.twitter.com/ijzBqkPSh1
— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2018
Haryana CM had earlier said seeing the public sentiments, that cinema halls should not screen the movie. But SC gave the order, SC order is binding & CM has said that those cinema halls who want to screen the movie will be provided security: Anil Vij,Haryana Minister#Padmaavat pic.twitter.com/BDuMHjAnNE
— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2018
The filmmakers, however, have assured in the past that no dream sequence exists in the movie. There is no such dream sequence in the movie, according to a journalist who has seen the film.
Kalvi also claimed that a section of media had wrongly reported that members of the Karni Sena had seen the film yesterday. “This is not true and we are firm on our stand against the film,” he said.
Striking a defiant pose, the Karni Sena leader said that he and other outfit leaders may be arrested and bullets fired but the protest would continue in states like Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
Rajasthan: Protests staged in the area near Chittorgarh Fort in protest against #Padmaavat pic.twitter.com/Sybospb4u6
— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2018
#WATCH: Protesters torched bus and pelted stones in protest against #Padmaavat at Gurugrams' Sohna Road. #Haryana pic.twitter.com/B13t6l8XuI
— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2018
“Janta curfew will be imposed on film halls at any cost. We are getting support of film hall owners and film distributors,” Kalvi said. The film, starring Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh, is based on the saga of the 13th century battle between Maharaja Ratan Singh of Mewar and Sultan Alauddin Khilji of Delhi.
The Supreme Court had paved the way for the nationwide release of ‘Padmaavat’ after some states had issued notifications banning the film.
The movie, which was earlier named “Padmavati” and was slated for a December 1 release, will now hit theatres worldwide tomorrow.
