Anti-Padmaavat Carnage Evokes Sharp Response: Who Said What

New Delhi, Jan 25: The consequences of anti-Padmaavat protests were witnessed in several parts of the nation on Thursday as members of the Shri Rajput Karni Sena launched fierce protests. The violence evoked sharp response from the political leaders, with few sympathising with the agitators, others targeting the government over the alleged inadequate measures taken to prevent deterioration of law and order.

Padmaavat row: Who said what?

BJP MP Subramanian Swamy said the movie has no historical relevance and hence, "should not be made". Taking a shot at the nuanced stand taken by Congress on the issue, Swamy said the party should clear its views whether it supports the release of Padmaavat.

Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh also expressed apprehensions over the release of Padmaavat, saying such films should not be made which hurts the sentiments of any caste or community. His statement came in stark contradiction to the views of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who had condemned the violence perpetrated by the Karni Sena.

Congress spokesperson and former union minister Manish Tewari voiced his anger against the agitating groups. Describing the protests as "reprehensible", Tiwari asked the central government to break its silence on the issue.

Congress supremo Rahul Gandhi expressed disgust over the attack on bus ferrying school students in Gurugram on Wednesday, saying no cause will justify the assault of children. He accused the state governments ruled by the BJP for the escalation of violence.

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Union Minister V K Singh, however, sympathised with the protesters, saying the filmmakers should had discussed the issues raised by them. "Freedom of expression does not grant you the permission to distort history," he said.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi accused the BJP of being hand-in-glove with the protesters. The silence adopted by BJP's top rung leaders, the Hyderabad MP said, has emboldened the fringe elements to become the mainstream.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also targeted the Centre, holding the "politics of hatred" responsible for the breakdown of law and order by the fringe elements.

"Utterly shameful. More disgusting is the complicity of those govts who r allowing it thro their inaction (sic)," Kejriwal said on Twitter.

While addressing an event in the national capital today, the Delhi CM said the "silence and inaction" enacted by the ruling regime in the aftermath of recent lynching incidents have led to the rise of fringe elements across the nation. "They will soon intrude into our homes if the silence continues," he was reported as saying.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 25, 2018 05:23 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).