‘Emergency’ film trying to character assassinate Sikhs: Akal Takht, SGPC seek immediate ban

PTI, Aug 22, 2024, 9:04 AM IST

Amritsar: The Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) have demanded an immediate ban on the film Emergency, claiming it tries to “character assassinate” Sikhs.

SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami, addressing a press conference, also sought the registration of an FIR against the Kangana Ranaut, the film’s writer, director, producer and lead actor.

Emergency, starring actor-MP Ranaut, is slated to hit the screens next month.

The release of the period political drama has been delayed multiple times; it was previously scheduled to be released on November 24, 2023.

Expressing strong objection, Gyani Raghbir Singh, Jathedar (head) of the Akal Takht, said it is clear from the released excerpts of the film that it has deliberately misrepresented the character of Sikhs as separatists, which is part of a deep conspiracy.

This is a “despicable act” of disrespecting the community by “creating an anti-Sikh narrative about the martyrs of June 1984”, he said in a statement.

The community can never forget the anti-Sikh brutality of June 1984 and Ranaut’s film is trying to character assassinate Jarnail Singh Khalsa Bhindranwale, who has been declared a Qaumi Shaheed (community’s martyr) by Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Singh said.

Dhami said this film has been made by Ranaut, who remains in controversy due to her anti-Sikh and anti-Punjab statements, with the intention of “deliberately character assassinating” Sikhs, which the community cannot tolerate.

He alleged that Ranaut has often deliberately made statements that provoked the sentiments of Sikhs, but instead of taking action against her, the government is protecting her.

He urged that the Lok Sabha MP be booked “for inciting religious sentiments of Sikhs for her act through the film Emergency”.

He said the film could “cause a lot of anger and resentment in the Sikh community”.

Dhami said in the past, there have been numerous instances where Sikh sentiments were hurt due to the misrepresentation of Sikh characters and the disregard for religious concerns in films.

He urged the Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting to impose an immediate ban on the Emergency film and said it should be ensured that no film with anti-Sikh sentiments is released from now on.

The SGPC president called for the inclusion of Sikh members in the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), claiming “biased decisions are being taken due to the absence of a Sikh member”.

He said the SGPC has on several occasions passed resolutions in its general meeting to demand the inclusion of a representative of Sikhs in the CBFC, but the government is not meeting the demand.