Messenger of God row: After green signal to film, Punjab and Haryana on the boil

Chandigarh: Saint-turned-rockstar-turned-filmstar Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh finally had his way after his debut film Messenger of God (MSG) was green-signalled by Film Certificate Appellate Tribunal under controversial circumstances, but this clearance is only the first of the roadblocks for the screening of the movie. Even as thousands of his devotees queued up at the theatres to watch their guruji in action in MSG-Messenger of God – it was not screened as the order for it reached late – tension brewed in several parts of Punjab and Haryana.

As the news of the film’s clearance became public, there were widespread protests in both the states. Various Sikh organisations came out in large numbers to protest the decision. In Haryana, it took a political colour when the INLD lent its weight to the protests. The controversial chief of Dera Sacha Sauda is playing the lead role in the film for which he has also co-directed, written songs and provided music.

In December last year, the Akal Takht had sought a ban on the film as the Saint had earlier hurt the sentiments of the community when he had allegedly dressed up like the Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh. At that time many radical Sikh organisations such as the Dal Khalsa and the Peer Mohammad faction of the All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) had also demanded the ban on the film on the ground that it may create communal tension.

On Friday, the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) carried out a protest march against the film in Amritsar and Bathinda. As the tension grew the government had to call the Rapid Action Force to maintain law and order situation. Protests by the Sikh organisations were also held in Batala, Punjab, against the release of the film. In Haryana, members of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Committee (HSGPC) staged similar protests. The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) activists too joined them in various parts of Gurgaon, Hisar and Rohtak. Police forces were deployed at all these places to prevent clashes between them and the supporters of the Dera Sacha Sauda.

Around 60 workers of the INLD and its students’ wing Indian National Students’ Organisation (INSO) were detained at Leisure Valley ground at Gurgaon on Friday. Saint Ram Rahim had irked the party during the assembly elections by asking his followers to vote for the BJP. The latter went on to win majority in the 90-member Haryana assembly.

Speaking to Firstpost, national president of INSO, Digvijay Singh Chautala said the decision to pass Ram Rahim’s film with a few cuts was political one.

“We are going to protest against the release of the film in all cinema halls of Haryana. We have already dispatched letters to the theatre owners, police and the district administration that the film may create a law and order situation and communal disharmony.”

Didar Singh Nalvi, vice president of the HSGPC said they had demanded a ban on the film and would protest against its release now. “If serious and highly objectionable charges are levelled against a person and he is facing court cases, there is no way he can be called the messenger of God. The Dera chief must first give proof of being the God’s messenger, he said.

Dushyant Chautala, INLD MP from Hisar and grandson of former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, charged Dera Sacha Sauda of earning crores of rupees through the premier of the film without paying any tax to the government. He told Firstpost: “In the last two months the Dera Sacha Sauda held several shows of the film charging Rs 2000 per ticket. Its earning were anywhere in the range of Rs 70 to 80 crore from these shows. But it did not pay any tax on this to the government.”

He also accused the appellate tribunal of working under pressure from the BJP government at the Centre to pass the film. “The Dera supported BJP and the BJP MLAs went to the Dera after the party’s victory,” he said. Chautala said his party would protest against the screening of the movie in Gurgaon and elsewhere as the godman had in the past hurt the sentiments of the Sikhs, Muslims and Hindus alike.

The All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) is planning to move the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking a ban on the film. AISSF president Karnail Singh Peermohammad said even the promo of the film was objectionable with the Dera chief showing disrespect to people.

The Union Home ministry had a week ago issued a communiqué to both Haryana and Punjab cautioning against protests against the movie. It had pointed out that major Sikh organisations had objected to the movie’s release and urged both the states to maintain adequate security near cinema halls to prevent any untoward incident.

However, Dera Sacha Sauda spokesman, Dr Aditya Insan defended the film, saying there was nothing objectionable in it. Talking to Firstpost, he said, the film has been made for a noble cause and the allegation of creating communal disharmony was not true. The film carries a message for the youth against the evils of drugs and other intoxications, he said.

Dera chief Saint Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh on Friday denied that he had called himself God in the film. He said there was nothing objectionable in his film and that the Censor Board had muted just two words.