Punjab suspends screening of film on Guru Nanak for 2 months

The Punjab government today suspended exhibition of film 'Nanak Shah Faqir' in the state for two months "in the larger public interest".
The movie is slated for release across the country this Friday.
"The Punjab government decided to suspend the screening of the Punjabi film, 'Nanak Shah Fakir' for two months following widespread resentment against it among the Sikh masses," an official spokesman said here.
The suspension comes into force with immediate effect and will apply to all forms of public and private exhibition, distribution, and viewing of the film in the state, he said.
The film would be deemed to be uncertified in the state during the period of suspension, he said.

The spokesperson said that there had been protests and demonstrations against the movie as it was perceived to go against the religious tenets and 'Maryada' (limits) of the Sikh community.

The movie reportedly depicts Guru Nanak Dev in human form which has been objected to by a section of the community. The decision comes in the wake of widespread reports of unrest and resentment against the film, leading to public protests and demonstrations against it by the Sikh masses, he said.
"These reports were corroborated by intelligence inputs from the state agencies which also apprehended a threat to the hard-earned atmosphere of peace and social harmony in the state in the event of the film being released," he said.

"In the light of these reports and inputs, the government has decided to suspend all screening, distribution and viewing of the film for two months in the larger public interest to safeguard the age old emotional bonds and preserve complete peace and social harmony among people professing different faiths in the state," said the spokesman.
Giving details of the decision, the spokesman said that for this purpose, the government exercised the powers conferred upon it by sub-section (1) of Section 6 of the Punjab Cinemas Act, 1952.
Recently, the Punjab government had stopped the screening of 'MSG: The Messenger' featuring Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the head of Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda, following protests by some Sikh groups.