Joining the chorus against feature film ‘Adipurush’, the Samajwadi Party has demanded a ban on it, saying “the faithful are hurt by its cheap and superficial dialogues” and the film is part of an “agenda”.

SP president Akhilesh Yadav demanded a ban on feature film ‘Adipurush’. He said the Film Censor and Certification Board should check the “political character certificate” of those who play with the faith of people by making films with an agenda using the money of their political masters.

“Has the Censor Board become Dhritarashtra?” Akhilesh Yadav asked in a tweet. Dhritarashtra, the father of the Kauravas, was a blind king in the epic Mahabharata.

Shivpal Singh Yadav, MLA and uncle of Akhilesh Yadav, alleged that efforts were being made to belittle the great and inspiring character of Bhagwan Ram and his story through cinema with “cheap and superficial dialogues”.

“Crores of Sanatani believers are hurt. For this act, the so-called ‘sanatani’ BJP people should tender an apology to the country... do not defame Bhagwan  Ram,” he tweeted in Hindi.

‘Adipurush’, a retelling of the epic Ramayana directed by Om Raut, was released on Friday. It has been panned over its colloquial dialogues and controversial depiction of some characters.

Meanwhile, seers in Ayodhya demanded an immediate ban on ‘Adipurush’, saying its dialogues made their “blood boil” as different parts of Uttar Pradesh witnessed protests against the film on Monday. The seers in Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Ram, alleged that the film was made as part of a foreign conspiracy against Hinduism and its culture.

Acharya Satyendra Das, the chief priest of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, said, “The film’s dialogues make our blood boil. The film should be banned immediately. The government should ensure that this does not happen again.”

He alleged, “Inke paatro mein Ram, Hanuman aur Sita ko Muslim paatra ki tarah dikhaya gaya hai. Yeh jaan bujh kar kiya gaya hai (In the movie, the characters of Ram, Hanuman and Sita have been shown as Muslim characters. It has been done intentionally).”

Mahant Ram Das, the chief priest of Hanuman Garhi temple in Ayodhya, alleged that the film was made under a “foreign conspiracy against Hindu religion and culture”.

“The dialogues delivered by the characters playing Bhagwan Ram, Hanuman and Goddess Sita will destroy the ideal culture of Ramayana. We urge the Centre that the film be banned immediately. A religious film, before being cleared, should be reviewed by Hindu religious leaders,” he said.

In state capital Lucknow, office-bearers of Hindu Mahasabha filed a complaint at Hazratganj police station and demanded that a case be registered against the actors, producer and director of the film. They said the film had “insulted” the religion.