Karni Sena warns Prasoon Joshi against entering Jaipur

Continuing with their protest against Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Padmaavat", the Shree Rajput Karni Sena on Friday warned that Censor Board chief Prasoon Joshi will not be allowed to enter the city during the Jaipur Literature Festival and will be "thrashed" if he does so.

"Those supporting release of the film or saying anything in support of the film will never be allowed to get into Jaipur," Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi, president of Karni Sena, said in a video message.

The change of name of the film from "Padmavati" to "Padmavaat" doesn't appeal us. We want a total ban on the film, he said.

He requested that Prime Minister Narendra Modi intervene in the matter and appealed to him to ban the film. He said the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) comes under the central government and hence the government should take action to ban the film.

"Bhansali had promised that the film, once ready, will be first shown to Lokendra Singh Kalvi and other members, but they went ahead and released a trailer and the 'Ghoomar' song without showing it to them, which was wrong," he complained.

He alleged that the government "brings the Hindutva and temple issues only to get votes".

Speaking to IANS, Vijendra Singh, spokesperson of Karni Sena, said that Prasoon Joshi will be "accorded the same welcome" as was given to Bhansali when he was in Rajasthan. "He will not be allowed to enter our city's premises. Bhansali was slapped, but he (Joshi) will be thrashed here," he warned.

He said that NH3 in Uttar Pradesh has been blocked to protest release of the film.

The Karni Sena will be announcing a Bharat Bandh on January 25, the day the film releases. Lokendra Singh Kalvi, chief of the Rajput association, will be in Mumbai on that day to ensure that the bandh remains effective.

--IANS

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