Rajput outfits hold protests across state

AJMER: In yet another bid to rake up a controversy over the film ‘Padmaavat’, a Rajput youth climbed on a 350-feet tall mobile tower in

Bhilwara

, with a bottle of petrol in his hand, and demanded a ban on the release of the film in the state. Authorities convinced him to climb down and set him free without registering a case.

According to police, 25-year-old Bhupender

Singh Rathore

of Bheemdiyawas village climbed on the tower in Bhilwara city. Soon, dozens

Shree Rashtriya Karni Sena

members gathered at the spot and demanded a ban on the film.

The high drama went for about an hour and the police reached the spot. Rathore, who was also carrying a bottle of petrol, threatened to commit suicide. Authorities and senior members of the community managed to convince him to climb down after assuring that no case would be registered against him.

Yogender Partap Singh

, district president, Shree Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena, Bhilwara, said that the Rajput community, especially youths, was angry with the planned release of the film. “It is the duty of the state government to respect the feelings of a community,” said Singh.

Meanwhile, in Jaisalmer, Rajput outfits, including Shree Rajput Karni Sena, blocked NH68 near Chamunda Chowraha in

Barmer

city and demanded a ban on ‘Padmaavat’. Police reached the spot after receiving information on the ruckus and persuaded them to move away from the highway. Later, community members took out a rally and submitted a memorandum for the prime minister to the collector. Activists warned that they would not allow the release of the film under any condition. In the memorandum, they also threatened to burn down cinema halls if they screen the movie.

In

Udaipur

too, members of the Shree Rajput Karni Sena blocked NH113 which passes through the busy Gandhi Chowk in

Pratapgarh

city on Monday. Supporters raised slogans, blocked the junction for over an hour, preventing movement of traffic at both ends. Commuters had a tough time and had to wait under the sun before the police cleared the jam. A few protesters became aggressive and forcefully tried to stop four-wheelers. Seeing the tense situation, many shopkeepers shut their shops. Sena members also burnt tyres on the main road and shouted slogans against the filmmakers. Authorities tried to disperse the crowd, held talks with protesters and persuaded them finally to leave the area.


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