Brandishing swords, women take out rally against Padmaavat

Women from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh took out a huge rally in Chittorgarh to protest release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film Padmaavat. The Swabhiman Rally saw hundreds of protesters brandishing swords and raising slogans against the film. The rally was organised by the Jauhar Kshatrani Manch, Karni Sena and Jauhar Smriti Manch.

The rally started from the 'jauhar stal', the place where the 13th century Queen Padmini had committed jauhar and ended at the 'jauhar jyoti mandir', a temple to commemorate the three jauhars that have taken place across different centuries in Chittorgarh.

On the way they met cinema hall owners and tied raksha bandhan to them and urged them to not exhibit Padmaavat. They also gave a memorandum addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the SDM Chittorgarh seeking Euthanasia (ichchaa mrityu) if the film is not banned.

Speaking to DNA Nirmala Rathore, general secretary JKM said, "We will not compromise on our demand for a nationwide ban on Padmaavat. The cinema hall owners in respect of of the rakhi we tied to them have promised us that they would not release the film in their theatres."

"We have written a letter to the Prime Minister and demanded that either the film be banned or grant us sanction for ichcha mrityu. If both these demands are disregarded we will go ahead with our plan of jauhar," said Devendra Kanwar of Karni Sena.

"We ended our rally at the Jauhar Jyoti Mandir that is made in the memory of the three queens of Chittorgarh Karnavati, Phoolkanwar and Padmini; who had committed jauhar and have taken a wow that we will fight for a ban on the film," said Sangeeta Kumari Chauhan, patron Jauhar Smriti Manch.

Meanwhile the police and administration has stepped up security and deployment at the Chittorgarh Fort and places related to queen Padmini. All efforts are on to maintain law and order.

‘NO COMPROMISE’

• The protesters said they will not back down on their demand for a nationwide ban on Padmaavat
   
• They said they have also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi