Apprehending communal flare-ups in certain states over the forthcoming release of the movie featuring controversial chief of Dera Sacha Sauda, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, in lead role, the Union Home Min
Apprehending communal flare-ups in certain states over the forthcoming release of the movie featuring controversial chief of Dera Sacha Sauda, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, in lead role, the Union Home Ministry is mulling putting the screening of the movie on hold.
The home ministry is planning to approach the information and broadcasting ministry to stop the screening of the film, Messenger of God as it has specific intelligence inputs warning that various Sikh groups are planning protests against the movie saying that it would disturb communal harmony.The movie, which is scheduled to be released on Friday, may not be allowed to be screened in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Chandigarh if the home ministry continues to receive adverse inputs, sources said.
The Union home ministry may also deploy additional Central forces in Punjab if the state government seeks Central help apprehending law and order problems.
However, a final decision on allowing the screening of the movie will be taken at the highest level of the government as the Dera Sacha Sauda chief is said to have supported BJP in recent Haryana Assembly elections where the BJP has come to power. Punjab’s ruling Shiromani Akali Dal, which is in alliance with the BJP and is part of NDA government at the Centre, is believed to be opposed to the Dera chief.
Fearing communal flare-up during the screening of the movie, the Centre has also shot off an advisory asking all states to take every possible step to prevent any untoward incident as Sikh groups were against “glorification” of the Dera Sacha Sauda chief. In an advisory, the home ministry said, “Various Sikh organisations and individuals are opposing the movie on the ground that its release would disturb the communal harmony and law and order. They also opine that glorification of DSS chief, facing serious criminal cases, should not be allowed.”
The home ministry said tension between DSS followers and Sikhs always remain a potential flash point in view of ongoing rivalry between the Sikh and the Dera followers.
The Intelligence Bureau has already warned that there is a possibility of law and order problems in the event of the release of the movie.
Intelligence officials, meanwhile, pointed out that in the past Sikh militants have targeted movies which they considered against the religion.
