Covering up Padmavati plaque shows Rajasthan government in poor light

The covering up of stone plaques with inscription of the Padmini (Padmavati) saga at the Chittorgarh Fort raises a lot of questions, and most of them about the intent of the Rajasthan government.

Shri Rajput Karni Sena (SRKS) had warned that they would damage the plaque upon which ‘incorrect history’ was inscribed. And if one looks at their track record of the SRKS, they could very well do it. The SRKS had broken mirrors on the Chittorgarh Fort a few days after bashing up Bhansali in Jaipur.  

 But is the Rajasthan government so helpless that it cannot protect historical monuments from being vandalized? And why does it not understand that it needs to function on prescribed legal guidelines. Such threats need to be addressed. Action needs to be taken against those issuing threats and the monument under threat should be offered protection.

 But the Rajasthan government seems to be running its own course. Is it deliberately turning a blind eye to the doings of the SRKS? Or can it be said that the SRKS has the consent and silent support of the Rajasthan government?

 Government's intelligence gathering capability leaves a lot to be desired. Protests are raging across the state and there is no action on the part of the government to contain them. No stern message that vandalism will not be tolerated.

 This also raises suspicion that the entire exercise has now moved beyond being a protest against a film. For the SRKS it is now an ideal opportunity to reap the fruits of the pressure it has built up. It is demanding that history be changed. And if what they claim is true then was the entire history and tourism of Chittorgarh based on false premise.

If Khilji never saw Padmini, what was the battle about? Why was Rana Ratan Singh taken prisoner? Why did the famed soldiers Gora and Badal have to hide in palanquins that were supposedly taking Padmini to Khilji’s base and thereafter free Rana? And most importantly why did Padmini (Padmavati) have to commit jauhar, if there was no besotted Khilji who was all set to plunder the fort after victory in the battle?

 If the mirror theory is skewed, then the entire history Chittor is on false premise. And the curtain on the stone plaque is symbolic of the government's inablity to deal with the protest in a proactive manner. 

 And till the SRKS was protesting against the supposed dream love sequence between Padmavati and Khilji sounded palatable, but with this new offshoot the agitation could possibly lose steam and sympathy of the common man.