On a day when the Supreme Court cleared the decks for the release of film ‘Nanak Shah Fakir’, the students of Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College, Ludhiana, on Wednesday held a protest against the film.A large number of college students took part in the protest. The protest was observed in a peaceful manner.
During the protest, outside the college campus, the students raised slogans against the film-makers. The protesting students demanded from the Union Government to impose a ban in the country on the release of the ‘controversial’ film.Later on, the students also handed over a memorandum to the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Iqbal Singh Sandhu, demanding a ban on its release. The protesting students alleged that the film based on the life of Guru Nanak Dev was against Sikh principles.
“Portraying Sikh Gurus in any form is against the Sikh principles. If the film is released it will hurt the religious sentiments of the Sikh community. The government should ban the release of the film throughout the country,” said a protesting student.The students said if the film was released it could disturb the peace and harmony of the state. “For the better interests of the state, the government shall ban the film because if the film is released it could lead to tension in the state”, said another students.
Film, ‘Nanak Shah Fakir’, is based on the life of Guru Nanak Dev, first Guru of Sikhs. The film produced by Harinder Singh Sikka was first cleared by Sikh Gurduwara Parbandhk Committee (SGPC) but later on it banned the film keeping in view the objections raised by some Sikh organisations. The film is scheduled to release on April 13 on the occasion of Baisakhi after it was cleared by Supreme Court on Wednesday.
Source- Tribune
