Padmavati row: Karni Sena patron Lokendra Kalvi calls for nationwide ban

The Rajput Karni Sena, an organization of the Rajput community, on Tuesday, 28 November, called for a nationwide ban on Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmavati.

"Six states have already announced that they will not release the film in their states. We welcome it. Till the new release dates are announced, we want at least 20 CMs to do it. Nationwide ban is in the jurisdiction of government of India as per a section in the Cinematography Act. The Centre can ban a film even before or after clearance by the censor board," Lokendra Singh Kalvi, founder-patron of the Rajput Karni Sena, said at a press conference in Jaipur.

"We request the Prime Minister to intervene and ban the film," he said.

Kalvi also demanded a high-powered and thorough probe into the death of Chetan Saini, whose body was found hanging on the outer walls of the Nahargarh Fort on Friday, 24 November, morning, with messages against the film Padmavati scribbled on the nearby rocks.

"Whether it was a suicide or a murder, I am not interfering into that... But it was very sad. I want to point out two more points... Who wants to disturb communal harmony of Jaipur and second, a direct threat to Karni Sena that "Hum putle nahin jalate... latkate hain" (We don't burn effigies, we hang them)... All this seems to be an attempt to divert attention from the Padmavati issue," he said.

"We want detailed and thorough probe into it... Who wants to disturb communal harmony and who has given threat to Karni Sena," he said, stressing that "the role of the SLB (Sanjay Leela Bhansali) group in Nahargarh Fort issue should be probed," he said.

Bhansali's Padmavati has been mired in controversy since its shooting started. Activists of the Karni Sena, besides other groups have been protesting against the movie, claiming the film 'distorts' historical facts.

The release of the movie, earlier scheduled for 1 December, has been deferred.