After Padmavati, Hindutva groups oppose Game of Ayodhya

Indian politician Amar Singh (2L) along with Bollywood actors Abhay Bhargav (2R) and Arun Bakshi (R) attend the poster unveiling and trailer launch of the upcoming Hindi film 'Game of Ayodhya' directed by Sunil Singh (1L) in Mumbai on October 24, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / STR

Hindu Yuva Vahini (HYV), a group founded by the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), have opposed the release of Game of Ayodhya , a film that has the Ramjanmbhoomi agitation and the demolition of the Babri mosque as its background.

The film, which is expected to be released on December 8, was initially not given a green signal by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on the pretext that it could stoke communal passions because the subject of the temple-mosque dispute was provocative. The producers had then approached the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT), which cleared it for release.

Amit Goswami, an ABVP leader from Aligarh, has threatened to kill Sunil Singh, the director of the film. He has also announced a bounty of ₹1 lakh for anyone who chops off his hands.

He said that the movie is an attempt to “insult” the Hindu god Ram and hence its release must not be allowed. The movie used real speeches by some leaders who were part of the Ramjanmbhoomi agitation, which resulted in the demolition of the mosque on December 6, 1992.

“If the administration allows the release of the film, then it should also be responsible for anything that happens in the city. The film shows that the idols of Ram Lala were kept in the mosque by cheating. I will kill Sunil Singh if the movie is released and if I get to see him anywhere,” Mr. Goswami told the media on Thursday.

“The movie is an attempt to gain cheap publicity. I cannot guarantee that cinema halls will not be burnt if they show the film. The government should ban the film,” he added.

The Aligarh unit of the HYV submitted a memorandum to the District Magistrate of Aligarh, demanding a ban on the movie.

Mr. Sunil Singh, however, appealed to people to watch it first.

Responding to the opposition of Hindutva groups to the film, Mr. Singh said, “I am also a follower and ardent lover of Lord Ram. People should first watch the movie and then decide if they should oppose it. It is not proper to make a judgement without watching the film. It merely shows the reality of those political leaders who became national leaders by demolishing the mosque.”