Hundreds of supporters of various Rajput organisations in Bihar on Saturday staged protests against filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, demanding a ban on his film “Padmavati” in the state.
Shouting slogans and chanting “Jai Shri Ram”, the protestors, including women of Rajput Mahasabha, took out a protest march here and demanded banning of the upcoming Bollywood movie. They also threatened to not allow its screening here.
There were also reports of similar protests against “Padmavati” in Bhagalpur, Aurangabad and Supaul districts.
Virat Hindustan Sangam (VHS) had staged protest in Patna against “Padmavati” on Friday.
VHS, a Hindu nationalist outfit founded by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and MP Subramanian Swamy, burnt Bhansali’s effigy at the Kargil Chowk, demanding immediate ban on the movie while also threatening to take ‘severe action’ against theatres screening the film.
Protesters said the legendary queen of Chittor had been portrayed negatively in the film and that, they said, was done by money coming from gangsters based in Middle-East countries.
Earlier, Bihar minister Jay Kumar Singh and BJP MLA Gayanu Singh, both from Rajput community, supported protest against “Padmavati”.
Senior BJP leader from Bihar and Union Minister Giriraj Singh has also extended his support toward the protests against “Padmavati”.
