Punjab, MP and Karnataka CMs join ‘Padmavati’ debate

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 20

Amid the raging controversy over Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film ‘Padmavati’, chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Karnataka on Monday joined in the debate according to their political compulsions and needs.

The day saw Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan slamming Padmavati makers for “distorting facts” about the Rajput queen.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

“The insult will not be tolerated,” Chouhan said, calling Padmavati ‘Rashtra Mata’ (mother of the nation).

While Chouhan’s compulsions are understandable (he is from the BJP, his state goes to polls with Rajasthan next year and the BJP-ruled Gujarat is in midst of a high-stake elections)what took everyone by surprise, including the central BJP leaders here, was the support to protestors from a Congress leader— Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh.

What they deduced was as follows —Singh belongs to a royal family, his sister is married to a royal family of Rajasthan and Punjab has a sizable population from the community.

All factors making it favourable to join the anti-Padmavati club, which largely includes saffron leaders and right-fringe groups.

“Nobody will accept distortion of history and those who are protesting are rightly doing so,” Amarinder Singh said.

Perhaps the reason why his Congress counterpart in Karnataka—Chief Minister Siddaramaiah—came out in support of Padmavati’s lead actress Deepika Padukone is that she belongs to the state.

He asked Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar to take “stringent action” against reported threats by a Haryana BJP leader.

Meanwhile, BJP leaders denied any role in the making of the controversy.

The controversy is getting bigger despite assurances by filmmakers that there is nothing in the movie that could possibly be deemed objectionable to the Rajput community.

Clearly, it is a controversy that no one seems to be seen on the wrong side of. The Censor Board has also warned the filmmakers against using pressure tactics for an early release.

Censor Board chief Prasoon Joshi has also slammed the makers for allowing the film to be screened to various media channels before obtaining a certificate from the board.