Padmaavat: MP Home Minister denies opposing 'Ghoomar' song, says statement was misconstrued

Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Bhupendra Singh said on 18 January that he did not oppose the playing of Ghoomar song from the controversial film Padmaavat and claimed his remarks on the issue were “misconstrued”. [caption id=“attachment_4223231” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]  Deepika Padukone in a still from Padmavati.[/caption] Singh courted controversy for his reported remark that the popular song should not be played as the film’s screening was not allowed in the state. He was replying to a question about a recent incident of a mob barging into the annual day function of a private school in Ratlam district and disrupting a student’s dance performance on the ‘Ghoomar’ song. “My statement was misconstrued by the media. I was saying that nobody should take law in their hands even if they have objections about any song. I never meant to say that as the state government has banned Padmaavat the song should not be played,” Singh said. The Supreme Court today cleared the decks for the all- India release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali-directed Padmaavat on January 25. Singh said that the playing of the song was an individual’s choice. “Playing of the song is an individual’s choice and nothing can be done in that regard. If someone has an objection about anything, the issue should be reported to the authorities concerned. Nobody is allowed to take law in their hands,” he said. The state Congress had slammed the BJP minister’s reported statement yesterday and said that the movie was cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). “It is up to the state government to maintain law and order,” Congress spokesman Pankaj Chaturvedi said.