Non-screening of MSG-2: Dera followers hold protest

Moga (Pb), Sep 19: Rail and road traffic was today blocked at various places in Punjab by a large number of Dera Sacha Sauda followers, who were demanding screening of a movie featuring Dera chief Gurmit Ram Rahim in the cinema halls of the state.

The protesters said that there was ban imposed by the government on the film and it should be screened in the theatres of the state.

Several cinema owners were refraining from screening the film fearing backlash from some radical Sikh groups, as the Dera head had been at loggerheads with the community earlier for allegedly hurting their religious sentiments.

Though the film MSG-2 was not banned in the state but the state police on Thursday had asked all the District Police Chiefs to ascertain whether the release of the movie will pose any threat to law and order in the state, official sources said.

Keeping in view possibility of tension building up in the town and few other places in the State between the Dera followers and others the district administration has taken all possible steps to check any untoward incident.

In order to maintain law and order heavy police force has been deployed at various places. Meanwhile, senior police officials of the Bathinda district and Bathinda Zone said that they were keeping a strict watch on the situation and claimed that it was peaceful at the moment.

The Sirsa-headquartered sect followers blocked rail and road traffic including from Moga to Kotakpura, Moga to Ludhiana, Moga to Ferozepur, Moga to Amritsar and Moga to Jalandhar and Ludhiana, which remained suspended for several hours putting a large number of passengers to inconvenience.

Ludhiana-Ferozepur bound trains were stopped at Railway station here since early morning. Dera followers have openly declared that they would not lift their blockade unless the film MSG-2 was screened in theatres.

Messenger of God 2 (MSG 2), a sequel of MSG, yesterday hit the theatres in over 2000 screens across the country. "Punjab government is suppressing the fundamental rights of people by not allowing the film to be released by putting pressure," Dera spokesman Aditya Insan told PTI yesterday.

Meanwhile, All India Sikh Students Federation President Karnail Singh Peer Mohammed today appealed the state government not to allow screening of MSG-2, saying if it is shown in theatres in the State it could create a law and oder problem.

PTI