Akalis protest MSG screening

NEW DELHI: The screening of controversial film MSG: The Messenger featuring Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the title role was stopped at several cinema halls in west Delhi following protests by activists of Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) and some other groups.
At PVRs Vikaspuri and Subhash Nagar, there were disruptions to the screening of the film. "The film was stopped at two of our cinema halls but, at other PVR halls in the city, there weren't any problems," said a PVR executive.In some places, tickets for night shows were sold out, executives there said.
However, protestors also burnt the effigy and posters of Singh. Raja Garden and Rajouri Garden were among areas where screening of the movie was stopped for several hours. Supporters of Dera Sacha Sauda and SAD (Badal) clashed during protests, police said. When senior police officials intervened, protestors called off their stir.
Sources in police said some owners of cinema theatres located in west Delhi have told them that they would not screen the film till the situation normalizes. Hundreds of Sikhs, led by Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Committee president Manjit Singh G K, gathered to protest near a film theatre in Raja Garden and screening of the film had to be stopped for over four hours.
Police have beefed up security outside cinema halls where the film is to be screened, especially in west Delhi, as it has many Sikh-dominated pockets. "Security has been beefed up outside all cinema halls where this movie is to be screened. Police are also taking precautionary steps to maintain law and order in the area," DCP (west) Pushpendra Kumar said.
Manjinder Singh Sirsa, general secretary of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Managament Committee, said that cinema owners and the administration would be held responsible for any untoward incident during screening of the film.