The Madhya Pradesh high court on September 2 sent notices to the Central government and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the impending release of Kangana Ranaut’s Emergency. The petitioners, Jabalpur Sikh Sangat and Guru Singh Sabha Indore, claim that the film contains scenes which violate the fundamental rights of the Sikh community.
The division bench of acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf requested clarity from the respondents. The petitioners said that the depiction of certain events, particularly the usage of the term ‘Khalistan’, in the film could defame the Sikh community. They emphasised that the film’s narrative may lead to discrimination and labelling of young Sikh children, who wear turbans as ‘Khalistanis’.
The petitioners are seeking an unconditional apology from Kangana Ranaut, who is the film’s actress-producer-director, for allegedly hurting the sentiments of the Sikh community. They have contended that the portrayal of the Sikh community in the film is not only historically inaccurate but also defamatory.
The bench instructed the respondents to respond to the petition. It scheduled the matter for September 3 (today).