The controversy surrounding actress-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut intensified as the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) — known as Sikhs’ mini parliament —  on Tuesday issued a legal notice to the makers of her upcoming film ‘Emergency’ for allegedly “misrepresenting the character and history of Sikhs”.

The notice, sent by SGPC’s legal adviser Amanbir Singh Siali, accused the film of misrepresenting Sikh history and portraying anti-Sikh sentiments, and demanded the removal of objectionable scenes and a public apology.

The SGPC, Sikhs’ highest religious body, took strong objection to a particular dialogue in the film’s trailer, which allegedly depicts Sikhs in a negative light. The trailer, released on August 14, features a character in Sikh attire who is shown demanding Khalistan — a sentiment the SGPC firmly denounced as “inaccurate” and “misleading”.

The notice emphasized that such portrayals could hurt the sentiments of Sikhs worldwide and tarnish their image as separatists — a label that has no basis in Sikh history.

This is not the first time the SGPC has intervened. A few days earlier, the committee had sent a notice to G-Studio, the production house behind ‘Emergency’, opposing the release of the film’s trailer.

Kangana, who plays the role of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the biographical film, is no stranger to controversy. Her remarks on the ongoing farmer protests have already drawn widespread criticism, particularly from Punjab's farmer unions.

In her recent statements, Kangana claimed that had the government not been firm, Punjab could have turned into another Bangladesh during the farmer protests, accusing the movement of inciting violence and unlawful activities. In a recent interview, she alleged that the absence of strong leadership could lead Punjab to descend into chaos akin to Bangladesh, accusing protestors of instigating “hooliganism”, including acts of rape and murder.

This has led to an outcry among farmer leaders, who have demanded a public apology and disciplinary action against her by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Despite the BJP’s media cell distancing itself from Kangana’s remarks, the outrage continues to grow.

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher, speaking from the Shambhu border, called for immediate disciplinary action against the actress, emphasizing that such statements should not go unpunished. He also announced a mass gathering on August 31, marking 200 days of the ongoing farmer protests, where a significant number of farmers from Punjab and Haryana are expected to converge. “BJP, at the national level, has distanced itself from Kangana's statements, but as a BJP MP, disciplinary action should be taken against her. She should issue a personal apology as the ongoing opposition and false narratives harm the farmers’ movement,” he said.

Additionally, prominent farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal questioned Kangana’s mental stability, further escalating the demand for accountability.

The ‘Emergency’ movie trailer has sparked widespread protests, with Sikh organizations and leaders condemning the film’s portrayal of Sikhs. Independent MP from Punjab Sarbjit Singh Khalsa had already objected to the scenes, urging the Central Government to halt the film's release.

In addition, Congress MP and the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has also criticized Kangana’s remarks, accusing the BJP Government of maligning farmers and failing to fulfill its promises to them.

The SGPC's notice comes amidst a growing backlash against the film, which is set to be released on September 6. The controversy has already escalated, with threats being issued against Kangana. A viral video of Vicky Thomas, a Christian convert to Sikhism, surfaced on social media, where he threatens to behead the actress if the film continues to misrepresent Sikh history.

As the situation escalates, all eyes are on the response from Kangana and her film's producers. The SGPC has made it clear that they will not tolerate any distortion of Sikh history and will continue to fight for the dignity and respect of the community.

Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, meeting the Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur during the first day of the Monsoon Session of Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha at Shimla on Tuesday.  The two-week Monsoon session of the Assembly started on a stormy note with the opposition BJP staging a walkout after rejection of its adjournment motion on alleged deteriorating law and order situation in the state.