'Padmavati' row: Madhya Pradesh, Punjab CMs join chorus of protests, Mamata calls it 'super emergency'

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised the protests, alleging there was a "calculated plan" of a political party to destroy freedom of expression.

Bhopal/Chandigarh: Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Punjab on Monday joined the chorus of protests against 'Padmavati' with Shivraj Singh Chouhan warning the film will not be screened in his state if it distorts history and Capt. Amarinder Singh saying cinematic license does not give anyone the right to twist historical facts.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, meanwhile, criticised the protests over the upcoming Sanjay Leela Bhansali film, alleging there was a "calculated plan" of a political party to destroy freedom of expression, calling it "super emergency". The TMC supremo did not name any party.

Earlier, the chief ministers of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, both BJP-ruled states, had also raised concern over the proposed release of the period drama in which actor Deepika Padukone plays the legendary Rajput queen.

The makers of 'Padmavati' yesterday said the release date of the film, which also featured Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh in lead roles, has been deferred. The film was scheduled to be released on December 1.

Addressing members of the Rajput community at his residence in Bhopal, Chouhan said the film would not be allowed to be screened in MP if it contains scenes "breaching the honour" of the Rajput queen or portrays "distorted facts".

"We will not tolerate any distortion of historical facts. The entire country is speaking in one voice that historical facts were distorted (in the movie)," he said.

If there are scenes breaching the honour of Queen Padmavati, then the movie will not be allowed to be exhibited in Madhya Pradesh, Chouhan said.

The Congress alleged that Chouhan's announcement against the screening of the film was a "propaganda" for polarisation of votes in the next month's Gujarat elections.

"This is ridiculous. Chouhan made this announcement even before the movie was cleared by the Censor Board. This is a propaganda being staged in the view of ensuing Gujarat polls with an aim to polarise voters in that state," alleged Leader of Opposition Ajay Singh.

The Punjab chief minister said nobody had the right to distort history as he told reporters in Chandigarh that he himself has studied history and even been to Chittor.

"Cinematic license does not give anyone the right to twist historical facts...Those, whose feeling are hurt by distortion of facts, have the right to protest," he said when asked to comment on the controversy over the movie.

Protests are a justified recourse in a democratic system, said Singh, who leads the Congress government in Punjab.

Banerjee while describing the controversy over "Padmavati' as unfortunate urged the film industry to come out in support of Bhansali and his film.

"The Padmavati controversy is not only unfortunate but also a calculated plan of a political party to destroy the freedom to express ourselves.

"We condemn this super emergency. All in the film industry must come together and protest in one voice," Banerjee said in a tweet.

Various religious organisations, spearheaded by Shri Rajput Karni Sena, have alleged that director Bhansali has distorted facts in the film.

The film has been facing controversy since Bhansali started its shooting earlier this year.

The director was roughed up by members of the fringe group Rajput Karni Sena in Jaipur. Its elaborate sets were also vandalised during shooting schedules in Jaipur and Kolhapur.

The first poster of the movie was released in October this year and triggered a storm with various Rajput groups and others alleging that the director had "distorted" historical facts.