The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today alleged that the ‘Emergency’ film was a deep rooted conspiracy to defame the Sikh community and Punjab even as the party asserted that its 19 month struggle should be included in the film if the producers were serious about depicting real situation of that period.
Addressing a press conference here, senior SAD leader Maheshinder Singh Grewal said it was shocking to note that in the ‘trailer’ of the film, the producers had presented Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale as a terrorist whereas as per historical facts, he was a sewadar of the Taksal during 1975 when Emergency was imposed by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Mr Maheshinder Grewal said the wrong presentation of historical facts was a serious issue and appeared to be part of a deep rooted conspiracy to defame Punjab in general and the Sikh community in particular. He said the truth was that the Shiromani Akali Dal agitated against ‘Emergency’ for 19 months and a Jatha courted arrest daily as part of this protest.
He said not a single drop of bloodshed took place but the film had tried to portray that there was widespread bloodshed during emergence which was totally false and untrue. Mr Grewal said that if the film producers were really serious about presenting what happened during ‘Emergency’ then they should include the 19 month agitation by the SAD and real facts on all those who were jailed by Indira Gandhi for opposing Emergency.
He said the Akali Dal would oppose the false narrative being built by the movie so that future generations were not misguided. Mr Grewal said the SAD would represent to the Censor Board not to approve any film based on wrong historical facts. He said need of the hour was to present the real facts before the people and Kangana Ranaut should do that only.
He said it appeared that Ranaut had been specifically deputed to do harm to the image of the Sikh community which had always stood for safety, security and unity of the country. The SAD leader said that even the Judiciary should also ensure that no film should be allowed which portrayed any community or its religious leader as terrorists.