The controversial movie ‘MSG: The Messenger’, made by and starring head of Dera Sacha Sauda sect Gurmeet Ram Rahim, released in Haryana and Chandigarh alongwith other parts of the country on Friday even as Sikh organisations and the Indian National lok Dal (INlD) protested against it. Protests were witnessed at several places in Haryana and authorities were forced to halt shows at two places following tension. As per the reports, local authorities had to halt screening of the film in Dabwali and Karnal towns of Haryana following protests from Sikh organisations.
At other places like Sirsa (where the sect headquarters are located), Kurukshetra, Hisar and Gurgaon, various Sikh organizations and opposition INlD supporters held protests against the release and screening of the film. While Punjab had banned the movie in view of the protests by radical Sikh organisations, Haryana had adopted a wait and watch policy and decided to allow its release on Friday. In Chandigarh, the film has been released in four cinema halls while in neighbouring Panchkula it has opened in one hall.
Both Haryana and Chandigarh Police had earlier made stringent security arrangements for the release of the movie. The security personnel patrolled near all the theatres and multiplexes across Haryana and Chandigarh on Friday as the film was released. Apart from this, Police and paramilitary forces manned sensitive areas. Notably, prohibitory orders against assembly of people and carrying weapons were issued across Haryana on Thursday to deal with any untoward situation, resulting due to the build-up of tension over the release of the film.
With the release of MSG, Sect followers could be seen reaching theatres and multiplexes where the film was being screened. The movie released to packed houses in Chandigarh and at many places in Haryana on Friday. Dera spokesperson Dr Aditya Insaan said that the release of the movie in 3,000 theatres across India was “a victory for rule of law”. He said the movie was only about the scourge of drugs which had impacted youth in a number of states including Punjab.
After being denied a release certificate by the Censor Board last month, the film got the certificate last week. The controversial movie was earlier called "MSG" (Messenger of God). It was to be released on January 16, but it did not get clearance. The sect leader, Gurmeet Ram Rahim, who plays the protagonist in the film, is its director, singer and lyricist, and has been aggressively promoting the film countrywide.
While the Dera Sacha Sauda sect headquarters are located near Sirsa town, 250 km from Chandigarh, Kurukshetra and some other places house a substantial Sikh population. Various radical Sikh organisations had been demanding ban on its release saying it would pose a serious threat to law and order situation. They had accused the Dera Chief of projecting himself as messenger of God in the movie. The Sikh leaders had on Thursday also submitted a memorandum to the Chandigarh Administration seeking a ban on the release of the film.