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Sikh groups protest over MSG, demand ban on it

Pressure on cinema halls to stop screening movie
Last Updated 14 February 2015, 02:06 IST

The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee staged a protest in west Delhi on Friday against the release of the film, Messenger of God, by the Dera Sacha Sauda head, Gurmeet Ram Rahim and demanded a ban on the movie.

Hundreds of Sikhs gathered at the theatre Movie Time in Raja Garden. The cinema hall stopped the screening. The protesters then learnt that the movie was being screened at a PVR cinema in Pacific Mall at Subhash Nagar.

“We entered Pacific Mall after a scuffle with police. Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Pushpendra Kumar gave us an assurance that the film will be removed from all the cinemas in west Delhi,” said Parminder Pal Singh, DSGMC spokesperson.

The DSGMC was also informed that the film was being screened at a PVR cinema in Vikaspuri.

“The first show of the film was being screened and bookings for the second show had taken place. There were about 300 people who had booked the second show. Police agreed that it will not let the film be screened. As of now, the film is not being screened in west Delhi,” Singh added.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Pushpendra Kumar confirmed that DSGMC had protested at Movie Time in Rajouri Garden, then at Pacific Mall in Subhash Nagar and at Vikaspuri. There were at least 500 to 600 DSGMC protesters at each site.

On being asked if an assurance was given to the DSGMC that the film will not be screened in west Delhi, Kumar said, “I have just maintained the law and order.

There was a possibility of a breach of law and order. Police have deployed force outside the malls, where the film is being screened. If the theatre owners want to go ahead with screening the film, we will provide our security, but not at the cost of law and order.”

“If there is a law and order situation, then accordingly a decision will be taken. On Friday, a show of the film was screened at each cinema hall,” he said.

“ I have told the cinema owners that if you want you can screen the film if things are normal and from my side we will provide you the best security. They will assess their situation and we will review our security. As such there is no ban,” he added.

It was the idea of the theatre owners to not further screen the film to prevent any damages to their property, Kumar said. He also said there was no scuffle anywhere.

DSGMC president Manjit Singh G K said the issue was that a person who is under the scanner in cases of rape, murder and castration is projected as a Messenger of God. 

“He is a self-acclaimed God. He is not a sant. A sant does not rape and murder. We are fighting against him. Why did he make this film?” he said.

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(Published 14 February 2015, 02:06 IST)

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