Interview: SGPC chief vows to freeze Kangana’s ‘Emergency’
Image credit X.com & special arrangement
SGPC chief says Kangana hurt Sikh sentiments
By Bhawna Malik
Amritsar, September 29: The SGPC chief S Harjinder Singh Dhami has vowed to impose blanket ban on the screening of the film ‘Emergency’ in Punjab. The Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) president S Harjinder Singh Dhami asserted that the controversial film “hurts the sentiments of Sikhs”.
“The film portrays Sikhs in a bad light. It is defamatory to both Sikhs and Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. We will not allow the film Emergency to be released in Punjab,” said Dhami.
The SGPC in its meeting of the executive committee passed a resolution demanding a ban on the film ‘Emergency’. The film is made by actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut.
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Ranaut won the Lok Sabha elections recently from Mandi parliamentary constituency in Himachal Pradesh. She is facing criticism since the release of the official trailer of the film on the eve of Independence Day.
Ranaut claims that the film is based on true events. Emergency was imposed by late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
The Censor Board (CBFC) issued a U/A certificate to the film and recommended 13 cuts, changes and removal of a few dialogues and violent scenes from the film. Yet, the SGPC, which is known to be the mini-Parliament of Sikhs, has strongly come out in protest of the film.
The SGPC has stated that it won’t let the film be released in Punjab. On being asked that how a film can be judged on the basis of its trailer, Dhami said: “The film was not carrying any certificate from the censor board in the first place. Sikhs in the trailer were shown demanding Khalistan while killing non-Sikhs outside a bus. Besides, Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale is portrayed as shown in the trailer as hands-in-glove with the Congress, which is totally false.”
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Dhami asserted that the Sikhs in Punjab protested against the imposition of Emergency. “Protests were held against Emergency in Punjab under the leadership of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). Sikhs strongly came out in protests against Emergency. More than 75,000 protestors from Akali Dal alone were arrested during the 19 months,” said Dhami.
The SGPC also said that “Sant Bhindranwale had no role in Emergency. He was not there on the scene as well”.
The Censor Board has further asked the film maker to submit proof and factual sources of statements and references attributed to historical characters.
The censor board has recommended not to use the word saint for Bhindranwale. On this, Dhami said: “We don’t need any certificate from Kangana Ranaut or anyone else. Sant Jarnail Singh was not a terrorist. He was a saint soldier and will remain a saint for us. Sant Jarnail Singh ji is a Kaumi (community) and great Shaheed of the 21st century. This is the title given by Sri Akaal Takht Sahib.”
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Does Ranaut know the concept of ‘Sant Sipahi’ or Saint Soldier in Sikhism, asked Dhami, saying: “She has hurt Sikhs’ religious sentiments.”
The SGPC chief also claimed that “the film is made with an intention of spreading hatred against the Sikh community and Kangana Ranaut definitely has an anti-Sikh agenda.” Dhami urged upon the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to take note of “Kangana’s communal speeches”.
To Ranaut claiming that her role as a film maker is separate from being an MP while she made the film with the creative liberty, Dhami said that “films on such subjects should be made with factual correctness”. “Yes, films on such subjects must be made but they should be factually correct and must not demean any particular community,” added Dhami.
The SGPC chief stated that “creative liberty cannot be taken on such serious subjects and producer or director cannot manipulate facts. If this film is released, then why a film ‘Punjab 95’, made on the life of Jaswant Singh Khalra, despite numerous cuts is not released.”
Dhami also quoted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader late Jai Parkash to counter purported claims made by the film ‘Emergency’. “Late Jai Prakash had addressed a huge rally in Ludhiana right after the Emergency was lifted. He had said that If Sikhs had not extended their support during Emergency, then leaders like us would still have been in jails.”
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