November 22, 2017
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Wednesday
declared that the his government would not allow release of Sanjay Leela
Bhansali's "Padmavati" in the poll-bound state.
"There is a lot of
sensitivity in Kshatriya and Rajput communities with regards to certain
depiction of history. We respect their feelings and with elections on the anvil,
the state government does not want any controversy.
Besides that the law
and order is also our responsibility, so we have decided that we will not allow
release of movie 'Padmavati' in Gujarat," he said.
Rupani also said that
the ban was not only limited to the state assembly polls which will be held in
December "but till the controversies subside".
Asked by media whether he
had seen the controversial movie or not before taking such a decision, he said
that it was not required. "I have met several people who have expressed anguish
and anger against the movie. It has hurt their sentiments bad and we respect
their point of view."
"Padmavati", starring Deepika Padukone, Ranveer
Singh and Shahid Kapoor and directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, has been in
controversy since its making. Earlier, the Karni Sena in Rajasthan had
vandalized the sets of the movie during its shooting, protesting the depiction
of the queen.
Several organizations across the country have been opposing
the release of the movie, whose release has been deferred.
Earlier,
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had held that the film had
"distorted facts" about Rajput queen Padmavati and would not be allowed to be
released in his state, even if it gets censor board certification.
His
Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath had held the movie director
responsible for hurting sentiments of Rajput community, while Rajasthan Chief
Minister Vasundhara Raje government had sought edits in the film to remove
objectionable sequences.
Asked whether this announcement by the Chief
Minister of banning the film amounted to violation of the model code of conduct
which is in effect in the state, state chief electoral officer B.B. Swain said:
"I don't know. I will have to check the matter and decide."