News has been floating around claiming Shri Rajput Karni Sena has withdrawn its protest against Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat yesterday (2 February) after a few members watched the film. However, it is the Shri Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena and not the Shri Rajput Karni Sena that has waved the white flag. According to reports, the Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena has also promised to help the film hit the screens in the states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena is another pro-Rajput organization that is not related to the Rajput Karni Sena, which has been the flagbearer of protests against the film. The stark similarity in their names has the masses believe the two groups are associated with each other, one way or the other.
In a new turn of events, members of the Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena, which withdrew the protest yesterday, are not happy with the decision taken by those higher in ranks.
Narayan Singh, vice president of the Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena's Mumbai branch informed Cinestaan.com, “We have been kept in the dark. We have no idea about what all is happening since last two days. My name is not in the letter that was issued yesterday,” adding that he and a few other members are contemplating quitting the group altogether.
“We are into jobs and we joined this group. We have given our all for the sangathan (organization) but we are kept in the dark. They have taken the decision when some of our members have various sections of the IPC imposed upon them. We have been working hard for them for the past 2-3 years. We are now thinking of resigning from the group. We will have a meeting soon and decide the next course of action,” Singh said.
Regarding the confusion on the relations betweent the two organizations, Singh said, “It has always been a different group,” while sarcastically adding, “but we don’t know if they have merged in last two days.”
Madan Singh Rajkiyawas, president of the Mumbai branch, echoed a similar sentiment. “Neither have I seen the film nor am I interested in watching films. My sign isn’t there on the letter issued yesterday despite me being the president of their Mumbai branch. Those who wish to see can see the film. I have no issues. But I will continue to back my stand (against the film) till the end,” he said.
The declaration of peace with Bhansali's Padmaavat was allegedly signed by Yogendra Singh Katar, vide president of Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena .
We tried contacting Katar, but his phone is switched off.
It should also be noted that an incident of violence was reported at Cinemax Gandhinagar last night after the Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena withdrew its protest against Padmaavat. A glass window of the ticket counter was smashed and the counter set on fire by a group of protesters. The incident was captured in a video and posted on Twitter.
It is learnt that a few multiplexes in Ahmedabad had decided to screen Padmaavat last night, but the exhibitors were deterred by the incident.
We tried contacting members of the Rajput Karni Sena for their comments, but they remained unavailable.