Jat community demands ban on 'Panipat'

Bollywood film Panipat has landed into controversy within two days of its release.

The Jat community in Rajasthan is protesting against the alleged wrong portrayal of Maharaja Surajmal. They have burnt effigies of the film's director, Ashutosh Gowarikar.

The film is based on the Third Battle of Panipat fought between the Maratha empire and Afghan king Ahmad Shah Abdali in 1761 at around 100 kilometres from Delhi.

In the film it is shown that Sadashiv Rao Bhau, commander of the Maratha army in the battle, seeks the support of Maratha ally Maharaja Surajmal in Rajasthan in their fight against the Afghan invader.

But Abdali negotiates a deal with Sadashiv. However, when Sadashiv refuses to agree to Abdali's conditions, Maharaja Surajmal denies support against the Afghans.

According to the Jat community the film has distorted facts by portraying Bharatpur king Maharaja Surajmal as a greedy emperor, who wanted to conquer the Red Fort of Agra and denied help to Maratha army in the Panipat battle.

Moreover, the community has threatened to intensify their protests if the film was not edited.

Claiming to be the 14th descendant of the Maharaja, Jat leader and Rajasthan minister of Tourism Vishvendra Singh has called it unfortunate to depict a Jat ruler, Maharaja Surajmal in an unseemly light.

"In light of the vociferous protest by the Jat community in Haryana, Rajasthan and other regions of North India, I believe that the film should be banned to avoid a law and order situation."

Throwing light on the facts in the popular views of historian, Singh added, "As a direct descendant of Maharaja Surajmal, I would like to clarify that it is a historical fact that when the Marathas returned from the Battle of Panipat, in defeat and anguish, burdened with their wounded, such was the benevolence of Maharaja Surajmal and Maharani Kishori that they sheltered the entire Maratha army and their leaders for six months. Historical proof of this exists in Gagarsoli village in the form of Khande Rao Holkar’s cenotaph".

The Congress minister has also urged that the government should form a committee to ensure that any such films being made in the future, about a historical lineage or a historical figure must be approved prior to release by the descendants of the same as well as the community.

Stir across Rajasthan

The Jat leader Nem Singh who is on the forefront of the protest told DH, "The movie will not be allowed to run with distorted facts about Maharaja Surajmal. It is an insult to our community. We appeal to the central government to edit the role of Maharaja Surajmal otherwise we will approach Jat leaders in other states like Uttar Pradesh and Haryana and call a nationwide stir."

Supporting the agitation, the Jat leader and MLA from Nagaur Hanuman Beniwal has requested Information and Broadcasting Ministry to look into the matter to avoid law and order problems.

Beniwal tweeted, 'No film or art can misreport history."

Rajasthan's former chief minister and BJP's national vice president Vasundhara Raje also condemned the film.

Raje said in a statement, "The wrong portrayal of the loyal emperor Maharaja Surajmal in the film Panipat by the filmmaker is condemnable."