Violence and arson erupted in parts of BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh and Haryana yesterday ahead of Thursday’s release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s controversial period drama Padmaavat as the Karni Sena, an extremist Rajput group, warned of “enormous outburst of people” if the movie was released.
Protests and acts of vandalism were reported from various parts of Madhya Pradesh, including Indore, Ujjain and Jhabua yesterday.
Activists of the Karni Sena, which is at the forefront of the anti-Padmaavat protests because they claim the movie shows medieval Rajput queen Padmavati in a not so honourable light — held demonstration in Ujjain to demand state-wide ban on the movie.
They also staged blockades by burning tyres on roads connecting Ujjain to Nagda, Dewas to Maksi and Agar to Kota.
The highway to Ujjain was blocked for hours, while police said that Karni Sena activists tried to hijack a truck and set it on fire in Indore.
Deputy inspector general Hari Narayan Chari Mishra said protesters were forcibly removed from many places.
In Bhopal, members of the Rajput group, held demonstration outside Jyoti Talkies and warned of consequences if the film was released.
Meanwhile, a group of women, representing the Rajput community, left Ratlam for Rajasthan’s Chittorgarh where they will stage a protest.
Violence was also reported from Haryana where some miscreants vandalised Kessel Mall in Kurukshetra late on Sunday.
Abhishek Garg, superintendent of police, Kutukshetra, said a case was registered against “unknown persons for rioting” after a group of people vandalised the mall.
Members of Rajput community stage a demonstration against the release of upcoming film Padmavat in Bhopal yesterday.
