HYDERABAD: Joining the anti-Padmavati bandwagon, Telangana BJP's MLA T Raja Singh Lodh on Tuesday appealed chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to ban the release of the Deepika Padukone-starrer period drama 'Padmavati' in the state.
The state governments of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh have made it clear already that the movie would not be released in their respective states. Uttar Pradesh, unlike other three state governments, had said the movie cannot be released in its present form.
Echoing the views being expressed by various right-wing groups seeking a ban on the film's release, BJP legislator T Raja Singh said the movie is "hurting the sentiments of Hindus by manipulating the history of Rani Padmavati ji."
Earlier, on the night of November 5, 2017, Singh had shared a video on his Facebook page, urging his followers to set theaters screening Padmavati on fire, if the movie was released without the approval of Rajput community. Speaking to a gathering, the MLA said it was his responsibility to ensure bail for anyone arrested in ‘Bhagyanagar’ region (Hyderabad) for violence at theatres screening the movie.
He called on all the ‘patriots’ and defenders of the ‘Hindu Dharma’ to not just boycott the movie but also stop its release.
On the other hand, the film has received support from chief ministers of West Bengal and Karnataka who hailed freedom of expression and condemned threats against the actors.