Opposing the upcoming release of Hindi film Padmavati, the BJP MP of Ujjain, Chintamani Malviya, has said that those like Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the director of the film, only understands the "language of shoes".
"People like Bhansali do not understand any other language. People like him only understand the language of shoes. This country will not disrespect Rani Padmavati. We will not tolerate any distortion of our history," the 48- year-old MP wrote in a Facebook post yesterday.
The film has kicked up a row as Rajput organisations in Rajasthan have accused the filmmaker of distorting history.
Padmavati, starring Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh, is slated for release on December 1.
"I strongly protest and propose boycotting the movie Padmavati. I request my well-wishers not to watch this movie. It is shameful to make such films for the greed of money," the BJP leader said.
Malviya, who is also the Madhya Pradesh BJP spokesperson, claimed that Bhansali had made the film on the basis of "incorrect history" written by the court poet of Alauddin Khalji.
"How come filmmakers whose women family members change their husbands every day can understand 'Jauhar'? Mental deformity of Bhansali would not be tolerated in the name of freedom of expression," Malviya wrote on Facebook.
He told PTI that he had made the remarks in his individual capacity.
Asked about the objectionable language in the post, Malviya said, "If the film industry crosses its boundaries, then it should not be expected that the elected representatives will be within their limits."
Asked if it was justified to appeal to the people to boycott the film before its release, the BJP leader said, "Everyone knows that the movie is based on the epic, 'Padmavat', written by Malik Mohammed Jaysi. The filmmaker (Bhansali) has made the film more imaginative and insulted the tradition of 'Jauhar' by twisting the golden history of the country."
Meanwhile, the Congress demanded Malviya's expulsion from the BJP over the "offensive" Facebook post and demanded that legal steps be initiated against him.
"We also consider Rani Padmavati as an idol for Indian women, but the BJP MP cannot be justified as he has insulted other women," said Madhya Pradesh Congress spokesman Narendra Saluja.
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PTI
