Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda sect head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s flick — MSG-Messenger of God — has hit controversy even before hitting the big screen. Amid reports that the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) has shown a green flag to the movie, widespread protests were held across New Delhi, Punjab and Haryana.
In Delhi, supporters of Shiromani Akali Dal marched towards the BJP headquarters demanding an enquiry into the circumstances leading to the resignation of Censor Board Chairperson leela Samson allegedly over “clearance” to the movie by the FCAT.
The protesters, who were stopped by police, called for a ban on the film to “keep peace” in the country. “The way this movie received clearance and how the chair of the Censor Board resigned raises many questions that need to be answered,” a protester said.
It has been learnt that the Union Home Ministry has been concerned that the release of the film may evoke protests as certain Sikh organisations have been opposing the movie. Various Sikh organisations, including the Akal Takht — Sikhs’ highest temporal seat — have been demanding a ban on the movie in which the Dera head is in the lead role.
They have objected to what they call the film’s “glorification” of the Dera leader, who has several criminal cases against him. They have also alleged that Singh’s dialogues in the trailers of the film are provocative and appear to challenge Sikhs.
On Friday, members of Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) and Indian National lok Dal (INlD) raised slogans against the movie in front of Galaxy Mall at Ambala and said that they would not allow its screening.
Authorities in Haryana put security forces on alert in Sirsa district, where the sect has its headquarters near Sirsa, Gurgaon and some other places. Police detained scores of Indian National Students’ Organization activists in Gurgaon as they were protesting against the film.
Nearly 60 workers of the INlD were also detained in Gurgaon when they attempted to stage a protest against the screening of the film. In Punjab the protests were held on such a large scale that to control the agitating protestors in Amritsar, the Rapid Action Force was called in to carry out a flag march in the city. Police have sounded high alert in Bathinda and adjoining areas in the State, besides deploying the security forces in the wake of growing tension between members of Sikh organizations and Dera followers.
“Yes, high alert has been declared in Bathinda and adjoining areas. Ten companies of armoured forces and six companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed, besides the State police, to maintain law and order,” said Bathinda Zone, Inspector General of Police Paramraj Singh Umranangal. He said: “We have deputed almost 12,000-13,000 security officials from the State police, armoured and paramilitary forces to maintain peace.”
Bathinda zone covers several districts including Bathinda, Muktsar, Mansa, Ferozepur, Faridkot, Moga, to which a large number of Dera followers belong. Around 15,000 Dera followers from Bhatinda range went to Gurgaon in Haryana on Friday for the movie’s premier show and Punjab Police provided security to them within the State, he said.
In Haryana, protests were also staged in Hisar, while members of various organizations held protests at Ambala against the proposed screening of the controversial film. The district officials in Haryana and Punjab have been asked by respective State authorities to take necessary steps to maintain law and order in view of the alleged clearance to the movie, an official spokesperson said.
Chandigarh administration has also decided to maintain a close vigil on the situation, he said. The movie that was expected to hit theatres on Friday, January 16, had been referred to the FCAT for clearance by the Censor Board on January 12.
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) member Harpal Singh Pali, Haryana SAD spokesperson Sant Singh Kandahari and INlD leader Inderjit Singh were among those who led the protest, reports from Ambala said.
The Dera spokesperson, on the other hand, maintained that the movie “is against drugs and there is nothing objectionable” in it. Meanwhile, Punjab Film Distributors Association (PFDA) said that they will take a decision on the screening of the movie next week after the revised date of its release is announced.
Association spokesperson Rajesh Talib said that the Association had earlier decided not to distribute the movie which was scheduled to be released on Friday, but got delayed as the Censor Board referred the movie to the FCAT. “Since the film has been cleared by the FCAT, the Association will discuss the issue and take a decision after the new date of the release of the movie is announced by the production house,” he said.
The film was scheduled to be screened by a national exhibitor chain operating screens at various malls in the country, but the spokesperson of the group was not available for comments. A few clashes between Sikh followers and Dera followers were reported in Moga district last month over the posters of the movie. The movie’s trailer, which has racked up more than two million views on YouTube, shows Ram Rahim in bejeweled costumes riding motorbikes and glaring at evil-doers before scattering them with his fists.