Padmavati row: Karni Sena threatens to chop off Deepika Padukone's nose

KOTA: The controversy over Bollywood film 'Padmavati' took an ugly turn on Thursday with a senior functionary of the protesting Shri Rajput Karni Sena threatening actor Deepika Padukone with physical harm if she incited public sentiments. Referring to the nose chopping of 'Surupnakha' in the epic Ramayana, Karni Sena leader Mahipal Singh Makrana said that while Kshatriyas respected women, if the film was not banned and Padukone does not stop inciting sentiments with her provocative language, the Rajputs will not lag behind in acting. Rajputs would not lag behind in pursuing the way Lakshmana acted in the Ramayana, he said hinting at the Surupnakha nose chopping episode. He asked why was Padukone, who has the citizenship of Denmark, speaking such provocative language? Makrana claimed that a cinema hall in Kota was rampaged as a result of such provocative language. "Shri Rajput Karni Sena has now just conveyed a lesson to Deepika Padukone to stop making provocative statements or face the result," Makrana said. Padukone had reportedly said that nothing could stop the release of the film and that India had regressed as a nation. The Karni Sena activist said that when a movie like 'Bahubali' can earn crores showing the valour of 'kshatriyas', then why people want to cash-in on films presenting wrong facts. "Who are the people behind movies like Padmavati and are investing their money in such movies," he said in a press conference. The activists also submitted memorandum to Kota IG Vishal Bansal and demanded withdrawal of cases against the six persons held for vandalising a cinema hall. Meanwhile, former MP and member of Kota royal family Ijyaraj Singh, in regard to the release of Padmavati, issued an appeal for respecting the sentiments of Rajput community. In a press note released here today, Ijayraj Singh said the movie Padmavati is reported to have screened some scenes that are against the glory of the Rajput community. Distortion of historical facts in the movie has hurt the public sentiments, he said.