CHANDIGARH: Gurmeet Ram Rahim, the chief of the Haryana-based Dera Sacha Sauda has landed himself in yet another controversy with the Sikh community.
Baba Ram Rahim is playing the lead in a film titled ‘MSG’ or ‘Messenger of God’, which is scheduled for an all-India release on January 16. Dressed in flashy costumes, Baba Ram Rahim plays a swashbuckling hero fighting social evils. The Akal Takht, the supreme temporal body of Sikhs has asked the Punjab government to ban the movie in the state as the baba’s dialogues are provocative and appear to challenge the Sikhs. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committe (SGPC) plans to file a PIL in the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the matter. Various Sikh organisations are also demanding the ban as they believe the film could cause trouble in Punjab.
In the past few days, many people have been injured in several clashes between Dera followers, known as ‘premis’, and Sikh radicals over this movie. There have been frequent clashes between the Sikhs and the ‘premis’ since 2007, when Gurmeet Ram Rahim was accused of dressing up like Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of the Sikhs.
The movie, an action-drama, will hit over 3,000 screens across the country in five languages—Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and English—with the premier likely to be held in either Sirsa or Delhi. The movie is also likely to be released overseas in ten countries, including the US, UK, Canada and Australia. Sources said that more than 100 cinema halls have been booked by the Dera Sacha Sauda across India for the release of the movie.
Akal Takht Jathedar (high priest), Giani Gurbachan Singh said that the movie should be banned across India as it was bound to disturb communal harmony in the country, especially in Punjab and Haryana. “The activities of the Dera have been banned by the Akal Takht and Ram Rahim has been declared a ‘tankhaiya’ (religious offender),’’ he said.
All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) President Karnail Singh Peer Mohammad said, “We have demanded a complete ban on the screening of this movie and we also have objections over the title of the film. God's envoy cannot be a criminal. He is facing rape and murder charges and has been booked by the CBI. His dialogues in the movie such as ‘Jo hamse takrayega choor choor hau jaye ga’ and ‘Hum sab ke baap hain’ are controversial.’’
“We have been told by the Akal Takh Jathedar that SGPC is filling the PIL in the Punjab and Haryana High Court,” said Karnail Singh. “We are waiting for them to do so otherwise we will file the PIL in the court next week,’’ he added. Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) senior vice-president Didar Singh Nalvi said, “The censor board should ban the film. A person facing criminal charges cannot be a messenger of god.’’ Shiromani Akali Dal (Mann) president Simranjit Singh Mann claimed the Dera chief was trying to tease the Sikh community with the film and that such behaviour was unacceptable. He added they could not allow the movie to be screened.
However, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is moving cautiously in the matter. The party’s chief spokesman and Punjab Education Minister Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said, “We will wait for the release of the film. If we find anything or any portrayal objectionable in the movie, then we will approach the Censor Board for a ban.’’
The movie has been funded by the Dera Sacha Sauda and has been directed by Jeetu Arora who has directed several popular TV serials in the past, including Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Uttaran and others. Gurmeet Ram Rahim has also contributed to the storyline and performed the action stunts. Dr Aditya Insan, the Dera spokesperson, said, “It is a patriotic film made for a noble and social cause. It tells the youth not to take intoxicants, including drugs. It is not against any religion or community.”
Apart from Gurmeet Ram Rahim, the movie will also launch a model from Ukraine. A Malayali actress, who has acted in several South Indian films and some Hindi serials is playing the lead opposite the Dera chief. The movie trailer has received 15.75 lakh views on YouTube so far and a song from the film "Desh" has got 5.33 lakh YouTube hits.