Kshatriya Women Threaten To Perform 'Jauhar' If Padmaavat Releases

The ordeal doesn't seem to end for the movie 'Padmaavat'. After being forced to change the title of the film from Padmavati to Padmaavat, now the Kshatriya women of Chittorgarh have announced a protest. The women claim that they will self-immolate themselves in the tradition of ‘Jauahar’ if the government does not stop the film's screening.

The women made this statement at a Sarvasamaj meeting held in Chittorgarh. They put up a phase-wise demonstration against 'Padmaavat'. As many as 500 people, 100 women from high-profile families of Chittorgarh, attended the meeting.

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has already cleared the film with a few changes. Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali had to change the film’s controversial title from "Padmavati" to "Padmavat". It is now titled "Padmaavat". The film is set to release on 25 January across the country except Rajasthan. The Rajasthan government has chosen to ban the film across the state.

If they release the film in spite of all these measures, the women of Kshatriya Samaj will perform jauhar on January 24 -- the day when the queen performed jauhar -- and at the same site

Rajput Karni Sena spokesperson Virendra Singh has also warned the filmmakers to not release the film. The Sena members told IANS they will block national highways and railway tracks across Chittorgarh on January 17 in protest.

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A delegation of the Karni Sena will also meet home minister Rajnath Singh at Udaipur during his visit to the city. The Sena members will request the minister to stop the screening of the film.

“We will request him to cancel the screening of the film,” Singh said after revealing that the members will also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 16 at Pachpadra village in Barmer district where he is going to lay the foundation stone for a refinery project.

"But, if they release the film in spite of all these measures, the women of Kshatriya Samaj will perform jauhar on January 24 -- the day when the queen performed jauhar -- and at the same site," said Virendra Singh, TNIE reported.

Chhittaurgarh Jauhar Smriti Sansthan general secretary Bhanwar Singh mentioned that they are also preparing to seal the gates of the historical Chittorgarh fort again.

Picture credit- India Today