The Sanjay Leela Bhansali movie Padmavaat, which releases on Thursday, has become a major outrage point for a few radical groups like Karni Sena, who claim to represent ‘Rajput interests’.
Leading up to the movie’s release, the violence which had earlier meant vandalising the movie’s sets, took a whole new shape. It was reported by us how on Tuesday, ticket counters and vehicles parked outside multiplexes in cities in Gujarat were set ablaze and shops inside the malls were vandalised by people identifying themselves as Karni Sena. A total of 48 people were arrested by the police in connection with the violence.
The violent protesters also decided to strongly hit the city of Gurugram in Haryana, where protesters pelted stones and even torched a bus:
#WATCH: Protesters torched bus and pelted stones in protest against #Padmaavat at Gurugrams’ Sohna Road. #Haryanapic.twitter.com/B13t6l8XuI
— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2018
The protesters apart from blocking the Gurugram-Wazirpur-Pataudi road, also deplorably pelted stones at a school bus which was ferrying young children. To much relief, the police later confirmed that no kids were injured in the incident, and that 13 people were arrested for this attack.
While the violent protests were underway, some media reports came out to claim that clubs and bars in Gurugram were ordered to remain shut from 7 PM on Wednesday, until further notice. It was also claimed that action would be taken against those not following the order:
Clubs & Bars in Gurugram ordered to be closed from 7 pm on 24th January till further order in the light of protests against #Padmavaat. Action to be taken against defaulters. #Haryana
— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2018
This news was also carried by Firstpost and leftist propaganda blog Scroll, which claimed that these establishments have decided to remain shut from 7 PM. Though it wasn’t clear whether it was due to any administrative order:
Clubs and bars in Gurugram to be shut down from 7 pm on Thursday in light of the protests. https://t.co/PhUqMCZ0NJ
— scroll.in (@scroll_in) January 24, 2018
After such reports started circulating in the media, it might have been implied that the situation was worsening in the Gurugram region.
Soon though, the twitter account of Gurugram’s Deputy Commissioner came out to clarify that no order regarding such closures were issued by the district administration:
NO ORDER regarding closure of pubs & bars from 7 PM onwards today has been issued by District Administration. This clarification is being issued due to related news being circulated in media. Situation is peaceful and schools, colleges and offices to open normally tomorrow.
— DC Gurugram (@DC_Gurugram) January 24, 2018
The tweet claimed that the clarification was being given due to news in this regard circulating in the media. It also claimed that the situation on the ground was now peaceful and that schools, colleges would open from Thursday.
This raises the question as to on what basis the media came out with the aforementioned news, and as to why did it not first confirm it with the district administration before reporting the same.
