Besides facing severe flak from Sikh community leaders, the first-time BJP MP and Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut asserted that she will not remove Indira Gandhi assassination from her upcoming film `Emergency’.
Replying to questions from Rajat Sharma in his iconic TV show ‘Aap Ki Adalat’, she said, “I approached SGPC people, showed them my movie. They want me not to show that Sikhs killed Indira Gandhi. Then what should I show? That she died by lightning?”
It may be recalled that several organisations including Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee, have demanded a ban on the movie ‘Emergency’ alleging that it was spreading an “anti-Sikh narrative” and misrepresenting Sikhs as “separatists”.
The SGPC notice sent to CBFC on August 27 says, “Such depictions are not only misleading, but also deeply offensive and damaging to the social fabric of Punjab and the entire nation. It is apparent that Ranaut has chosen the subject of the Emergency not to make a genuine political or historical statement against Congress, but rather to target the Sikh community.”
On BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa’s comment that she should be sent either to jail or a mental asylum, Kangana Ranaut said, “I challenge him to show me a single shot from the movie that is objectionable. Nobody knows anything about his talent, but they are using the sentiments of innocent people.”
When Rajat Sharma pointed out that the trailer of the movie has hurt the sentiments of certain sections of people, Kangana bluntly replied: “When one makes a film on a former Prime Minister, who was assassinated, one cannot depict tthat she died in lightning”.
“Sirsa Ji is saying, show that a tree fell and she died. I cannot change history. I have no problem with any community. When the movie will be released, everything will be clear. This movie is my serious endeavor,” she added.
On death threats being given to her on social media, the actor said: “On social media, they proudly show how Indira Gandhi was assassinated. They are now saying today ‘gardan kaat dengey'(cut off my neck). Will it not encourage them. Many people are trying to throttle my voice’.
Meanwhile, a criminal complaint has been filed against her in Chandigarh District Court for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of Sikhs. The complaint, filed by Ravinder Singh Bassi, president of Lawyers for Humanity, accuses Ranaut of maligning the image of Sikhs in her movie “Emergency”.
