By
RUBY ZAIDI
Queen Kangana Ranaut’s directorial venture Emergency has been embroiled in a massive controversy after Sikh organizations, including the Shiromani Akali Dal, accused it of misrepresenting the community and twisting historical facts.
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the mini parliament of the Sikh community, announced on Saturday that the movie Emergency by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut will not be allowed to screen in Punjab as it defamed the Sikh community.
In a resolution passed by the SGPC in its executive meeting in Amritsar, the film Emergency was rejected, and the state government was urged to impose a complete ban on it.
SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami stated that the film not only defamed the Sikhs but also involved the character assassination of Jarnail Singh Khalsa Bhindranwala, which the Sikh community cannot tolerate.
“This film has been made with the spirit of spewing poison and spreading hatred against the community under an anti-Sikh agenda, which will not be allowed to screen in Punjab at any cost,” he said
He added that the Sikhs, especially the leadership of the Shiromani Akali Dal, played a vital role in protesting against the Emergency imposed by then Congress Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, even courting arrests. He emphasized that the Punjab government should represent the state by banning the film Emergency to maintain a peaceful communal environment.
The film, starring Ms Ranaut in the lead role, is based on the Emergency imposed by the Indira Gandhi government in 1975. Also starring Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, and Milind Soman, it is a dramatic representation of the 21-month period that is considered a dark phase for Indian democracy.
