MUMBAI MIRROR (January 17, 2018)

Haryana has become the third BJP-ruled state after Gujarat and Rajasthan to ban the release of Padmaavat. According to Health Minister Anil Vij, the decision was taken by the state Cabinet keeping in view the law and order situation given that many feel historical facts have been “distorted” in the period drama which opens on January 25. Meanwhile, the Allahabad High Court issued a contempt notice to Central Board of Film Certification chairman Prasoon Joshi in connection with the release. The Lucknow bench of the court granted three weeks’ time to Joshi for filing his response to the contempt notice. It fixed next hearing of the matter in the week commencing February 12.

A bench of Justice Mahendra Dayal passed the order on the petition filed by Kamta Prasad Singhal, who had submitted that he had earlier filed a Public Interest Litigation seeking a ban on the film’s release because it promoted Sati, which is an offence. After hearing the PIL, the court had on November 9, 2017, dismissed the petition but, simultaneously, permitted the petitioner to move his grievance through a representation to the CBFC. Accordingly, he moved the representation before the chairman of the board on November 13, but Joshi is yet to decide on it and the three weeks time given to him by the High Court has lapsed.