Karni Sena meet Yogi Adityanath, asks UP CM to get Padmaavat banned by Centre

A delegation of the Karni Sena, opposing the release of controversial Bollywood Padmaavat, called on the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and urged him to use his office to get the film banned by the Central government by bringing an Ordinance.

“Yogi Adityanathji was the first Chief Minister in the country who had raised objections on the film and lodged his protest with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Censor Board,” said its President Lokendra Singh Kalvi after meeting the Chief Minister.

“Yogiji is sensitive to the issues raised by the people over the film. Like other Chief Ministers, he is also concerned about the law and order situation arising out of the release of the film. He gave us a patience hearing for 20 minutes on issues raised by Karni Sena,” said Singh.

When asked about what assurance UP Chief Minister gave him in view of the Supreme Court order over the release of the film, the Karni Sena Chief said: “The state government’s job is to maintain law and order and our job is to stop release of the film on January 25 at any cost.” He refused to divulge further details about their meeting with Yogi Adityanath.

The Karni Sena Chief claimed that after the Supreme Court order they are meeting all Chief Ministers and owners of cinema halls / multiplexes requesting them not to allow release of the film on the date. “It is now up to them to decide whether they want to be on the side of kshatriya and nation’s pride or with the descendants of Alauddin Khilji,” he warned.

Singh also said that they are ready to raise Rs 200 crore through donations to pay up the cost of the film to producer of the film. “We are ready to pay any cost to film makers but will not allow it to be released in the country. People have already called for a Bharat Bandh and we don’t want to create any trouble on the eve of the Republic Day by bringing the country to standstill,” he warned further.

The Karni Sena Chief appealed to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ban the film by bringing an Ordinance. “We hope that the Prime Minister will ban the film in view of countrywide sentiments prevailing against the film"