Padmavati row: Karni Sena wants Bharat Bandh, Bhansali gets security cover

The Shri Rajput Karni Sena on Wednesday called for a 'Bharat Bandh' (shutdown) on December 1 if Sanjay Leela Bhansali's movie "Padmavati" releases on that date, while the Maharashtra government provided a precautionary security cover for the filmmaker in view of the increasing controversies and growing threats.

"We will hold rallies across the country, including Gurugram, Patna, Lucknow and Bhopal before the release date," Lokendra Singh Kalvi, founder-patron of the Shri Rajput Karni Sena, an organisation of the Rajput community, told media persons in Jaipur.

He said all communities, including Muslims, supported the Sena on the issue.

"We demand a complete ban on the film. Now, we don't want any pre-screening of the movie. All we want is a ban," he said.

He claimed that as per the Cinematography Act, the government can withhold the release of a movie for three months even after a go-ahead by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and it can be extended further.

"We request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the matter," Kalvi said.

Bhansali has been facing the ire of various groups and self-styled experts on what they term as 'erroneous' depiction of Rajput queen Rani Padmavati.