HC declines to entertain PIL against biopic on Army legend

The Delhi High Court today declined to entertain a PIL to stop the filming of a biopic on Army Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat, who was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for gallantry during the 1962 Sino-Indian war.
The plea had sought stopping of the shooting on the ground that a rape accused, out on bail, was portraying the role of the Army legend and that no consent had been taken from Rawat's family or the Ministry of Defence to make the biopic.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar said that the court cannot decide who will play what role in a film.

It also observed that there was no law that said a person out on bail cannot portray a soldier or a legend and asked the petitioner, Samrendra Kumar, to withdraw the plea and, instead, move a representation before the ministry.
Kumar withdrew the plea, which said, Rawat, a rifleman in the 4 Garhwal Rifles, was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra and continues to get promotions till date for sacrificing his life for the country.
According to the petition, Rawat was killed on November 17, 1962.
The plea said that the post, which Rawat refused to abandon despite orders from his superiors, has been named Jaswant Garh and there is a room nearby where his personal belongings are still kept safe.

Apart from that, five soldiers have been specially assigned to take care of his room, clean his clothes and serve food, despite the accommodation being empty, the petition said.