Telangana BJP MLA Threatens to Set Ablaze Theatres That Screen Padmavati

Hyderabad: With less than a month left, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavati still seems far from ensuring a secured release on December 1. Now, a BJP MLA in Telangana has threatened to burn theatres that screen the film on the Rajputs.

According to a Hindustan Times report, MLA T Raja Singh has alleged that the film distorts history and disregards the Rajputs and Rajasthani culture. Singh, a Rajput himself, was speaking at an event when he made the statements. His views were later shared on his Facebook page, which went viral.

While director Bhansali and the film’s cast including Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor, has time and again clarified that the film doesn’t show a romantic link between Rani Padmavati and Delhi Sultan Alauddin Khilji, several Rajput communities and BJP leaders have protested against this alleged “love angle”.

Singh too, on Sunday, was reacting to the alleged attempt at distorting history and defaming Rajputs.

Hindustan Times has quoted Singh as saying, “The fact was that Khilji had attacked Chittorgarh, causing mass self-immolation (Jauhar) by more than 16,000 women who lived in the fort at the time.”

A few back ago, BJP had written to the Gujarat Election Commission saying the film’s release should be delayed or stopped owing to the sensitive nature of the film and considering the upcoming elections in Gujarat during the same time.