BJP MP, Others Stop Show Depicting Alauddin Khilji & Padmavati in Rajasthan

Chittorgarh Fort's newly-inaugurated light-and-sound show, depicting Queen Padmavati, was called to a forceful halt.

A newly-inaugurated light-and-sound show at Rajasthan's Chittorgarh Fort was called to a forceful halt on Monday, 27 December. Representative photo.

(Photo courtesy: Twitter/Altered by The Quint)

A newly-inaugurated light-and-sound show at Rajasthan's Chittorgarh Fort was called to a forceful halt on Monday, 27 December, after BJP MP CP Joshi and members of the Rajput community objected to its depiction of an a legend involving Alauddin Khilji and Queen Padmavati.

The contested segment of the performance depicts the lore about 13th-century Delhi Sultan Alauddin Khilji glimpsing at Mewar Queen Rani Padmavati’s through a mirror during his visit to the kingdom of King Ratan Singh.

“At present, the Government of India has allotted Rs 5.5 crore for the new light-and-sound show, with the scheme being implemented by the state government. We had earlier asked for the disputed portion to be removed from the show’s script. Earlier, we had removed a mirror from the fort and a plaque which referred to this incident,” BJP MP CP Joshi told The Indian Express on Tuesday.

The district administration has said that the contested section of the show, which inaugurated by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday, will be removed after review.

A member of Rajput outfit Johar Smriti Sansthan, Chittorgarh, told The Indian Express that there was no historical evidence to back the legend, adding, "Even today, no husband would ever let another man who wants to catch a glimpse of his wife after hearing about her beauty see her."

In 2017, the Karni Sena had launched violent protests against the film Padmavat, vandalising the sets of the film and assaulting its director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, for allegedly the movie's allegedly contentious portrayal of Queen Padmavati.

Around the same time, following protests by the Karni Sena and others, the Archaeological Survey of India had covered its plaque outside Padmavati’s palace in Chittorgarh Fort. The plaque had narrated the same contentious legend involving Khilji.

(With inputs from The Indian Express)