Indu Sarkar: Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil says Congress workers will protest on streets if history is distorted

Maharashtra Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil on Saturday said the party workers may “hit the streets” if the upcoming Bollywood film Indu Sarkar, set in the Emergency period, is found to be maligning its leaders. [caption id=“attachment_3793669” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Indu Sarkar poster - Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil. Images from Twitter.[/caption] “We have sought chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’ intervention over the release of the film as there is talk that history has been distorted. The film is based on the lives of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Congress leader Sanjay Gandhi,” said the Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly. “If our apprehension that history has been distorted is found to be true, it will hurt people’s sentiments. If an attempt has been made to malign the image of Congress leaders, party workers may hit the streets in protest. The CM should intervene to prevent untoward incidents and maintain law and order,” Vikhe-Patil said according to a report by the Press Trust of India. In a letter addressed to Fadnavis, the Congress leader said, “We understand the film is based on Indira Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi. It has wrongly depicted some aspects of their lives and politics. If the film is released, it would hurt the sentiments of a large number of people and party workers. It also appears there is an attempt to distort history. Therefore, it would be appropriate to first show the film to those concerned and ensure there is nothing objectionable to invite the wrath of the party workers. I appeal to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to take serious note of the situation that would arise if the film is allowed to be released in its current form. It could create a law and order problem if party workers demonstrate on streets. Therefore, to avoid any untoward incident, Fadnavis should step in to stop the release of the objectionable portions in the film," said Vikhe-Patil according to a report by The Indian Express. Madhav Bhandari a spokesperson for the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), reportedly retorted to the request in the letter by saying, “The Congress leader’s demand amounts to pre-censorship. It shows their intolerance. It is unconstitutional. If they have any objection, they should write to the director and producer of the film. Or they can seek private screening or bring it to censor board’s notice," according to the same Indian Express report. Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam had recently written to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) expressing his concern over the portrayal of Indira Gandhi, Sanjay Gandhi and other Congress leaders in the movie. “There should be a screening of the film for Congress leaders ahead of its release”, Nirupam had demanded in his letter to CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani However, Madhur Bhandarkar, the director of Indu Sarkar refused to screen the film for anybody before the censor cleared it. He also stated that it doesn’t talk about any individual leader but uses the Emergency — imposed by the Indira Gandhi-led government in 1975 — as the backdrop. Indu Sarkar is slated to release on 28 July. With inputs from PTI