Kolkata, Nov 25: God only knows what else is in store in the future in regard to the ongoing controversy over the Bollywood film, Padmavati.
A day after West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee invited makers of Padmavati to screen their film in Kolkata at a conclave in the national capital on Friday, Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) ‘rogue’ leader Suraj Pal Amu on Saturday ended up comparing the Bengal CM to the fictional character from Ramayana, Shurpanakha, the sister of Lanka’s demon king Ravana.
Amu also threatened to chop off Mamata’s nose like the brother of Lord Rama, Lakshmana, did to Shurpanakha.
‘There are some women who are of monstrous nature like Shurpanakha was. Lakshmana dealt with Shurpanakha by chopping off her nose. Mamataji should not forget this (Rakshasi pravriti ki jo mahilaayein hoti hain, jaise Shurpnakha thi. Shurpnakaha ka ilaaj Lakshman ne naak kaat kar kiya tha, Mamata Ji is baat ko na bhulein),’ the 49-year-old chief media coordinator of BJP’s Haryana unit was quoted as saying by ANI.
Amu threatened Mamata for supporting Padmavati, the movie which has been constantly facing the ire of political parties and right-wing groups for allegedly distorting history.
Amu, who has been garnering a lot of media attention for his controversial remarks on the film, had earlier announced a bounty of Rs 10 crore on the heads of Deepika Padukone, the lead actress of Padmavati, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the director of the film.
The Gurgaon Police booked Amu for announcing the bounty on the heads of Deepika and Bhansali. A first information report (FIR) was filed against Amu at the Sector 29 police station in Gurgaon after a complaint was filed by an ‘art lover and fan’ of Deepika and Bhansali.
Earlier, a member of Shri Rajput Karni Sena, the fringe group at the forefront demanding a ban on Padmavati, had threatened to chop off Deepika’s nose too.
On Friday, the first alleged death occurred over Padmavati controversy. A man was found hanging at Jaipur’s famous Nahargarh fort and on the stone wall nearby was scribbled ‘Padmavati ka virodh (in opposition to Padmavati)’.
Deepika and Bhansali have been continuously getting threats from Rajput and Hindu groups not to release the film, which allegedly shows queen Padmavati in a bad light and thus malign the image of Hindu women in general.
Banerjee announced that she would welcome Bhansali and the team of Padmavati with open arms and would make special arrangements for the same.
Speaking at India Today Conclave East 2017, Mamata said, ‘If they cannot release it in any other state, we will give special arrangement for Padmavati. Bengal will be very happy and Bengal will be proud to do that.’
The film has been ‘officially’ banned in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Rajasthan–all BJP-ruled states–even before the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) certifying Padmavati.
OneIndia
