Padmaavat row: Karni Sena's 'hooliganism' continues

On Monday evening, a ticket counter of a cinema hall in Hapur was vandalised by unidentified miscreants in protest against Padmaavat.

Karni Sena's protest against the movie Padmaavat and the way it has gone on rampage makes it very clear that the group is nothing but a bunch of hooligans. The matter over the release of Padmaavat is well settled. The Censor Board has cleared it and the Supreme Court has barred states from banning it, but yet the Karni Sena is out on streets.

On Monday evening, a ticket counter of a cinema hall in Hapur was vandalised by unidentified miscreants in protest against Padmaavat. In Rajasthan, protesters in Rajsamand and Barmer blocked highways while a youth in Bhilwara climbed a mobile phone network tower to express opposition. A group of protestors from Rajput Karni Sena created a ruckus and tore the poster of 'Padmaavat' outside a movie hall Telangana.

Karni Sena members protest against 'Padmaavat' near Jyoti Cinema Hall in Muzaffarpur

Even in Gujarat, the protestors are damaging public property in the name of Padmaavat protests.

"Few protests took place over past few days where tyres were set on fire to block roads and 8 buses were torched. Police patrolling has been increased, 8 IG and DIGs have been posted in sensitive areas, 241 PSIs and 8 RAF companies deployed," Pramod Kumar, DGP, Gujarat told on Monday evening.

Forensic experts examine the ticket counter of a cinema hall after it was vandalised in Ahmedabad

Karni Sena has been the most vociferous of the fringe groups opposing the movie alleging historical facts were distorted.

Bhansali productions had on January 20 written to the Shree Rajput Karni Sena and Rajput Sabha, Jaipur, inviting them to watch the film assuring that it showcased the honour and valour of Rajputs.

Rajput Karni Sena patron Lokendra Singh Kalvi addresses a press conference in Lucknow on Monday

"We are ready to watch the film. We never said that we will not watch the film. The filmmaker assured us one year ago that he will go for a special screening and now he has written for the screening and we are ready for it," Sena leader Lokendra Singh Kalvi told PTI.

Karni Sena activists demonstrate against the release of Padmaavat, in Bhopal on Monday.

Despite expressing willingness to watch the movie, the Karni Sena continued its stiff opposition, as Kalvi met Chief Minister Adityanath in Lucknow and pressed for a ban on 'Padmaavat'.

Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh have moved the Supreme Court seeking recall of its January 18 order by which 'Padmaavat' was allowed to be released across India on January 25. The Haryana government took a different stance saying it will implement the Supreme Court order that allows the screening of the movie.

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