The Gujarat government said today it will study the Supreme Court order paving the way for the nationwide release of the controversial film 'Padmaavat' on January 25, before taking a decision on its screening in the state.
Gujarat was among the four BJP-ruled states that had imposed a ban or stated to not allow the film to release.
Minister of State for Home Pradeepsinh Jadeja said though Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta tried to convince the court, it stayed the Gujarat government's notification of January 18 banning the release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's period drama.
"The Gujarat government imposed the ban because Rajputs felt that historical facts have been distorted in the movie and (the government felt) the screening may deteriorate the law and order situation in the state. Mehta made the same argument today," Jadeja told reporters in Gandhinagar.
"However, the Supreme Court eventually stayed our notification. We will decide the future course of action after going through the order," he said.
As the minister appealed for peace, people from Rajput community tried to block Bavla-Bagodara highway between Ahmedabad and Saurashtra. "However, police quickly rushed there and cleared the road," a police official said.
Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said the government would first examine the Supreme Court order, and then decide.
"Our stand about the film was clear from the beginning. But as the Supreme Court has now stayed our notification, we will study the order," he said.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra today stayed the notifications issued by Rajasthan and Gujarat governments banning the screening of the film. The film is now set to release on January 25.
The Gujarat government's notification had said the ban was necessary to maintain law and order. It had imposed the ban under the Gujarat Cinemas (Regulation) Act of 2004.
Rajasthan and Gujarat governments had issued formal orders and notifications, while Haryana and Madhya Pradesh had stated they would not allow the exhibition of the film but had not issued any formal order.
The film is based on the saga of the historic 13th century battle between Maharaja Ratan Singh and his army of Mewar and Sultan Alauddin Khilji of Delhi.
The film's sets were vandalised in Jaipur and Kolhapur, while director Bhansali was roughed up by members of the Karni Sena, a Rajput group, last year.
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