Panipat Controversy: BJP party members protests against Arjun Kapoor’s film.

Arjun Kapoor’s latest film, Panipat, is facing a lot of trouble even as it remains steady at the box office, collecting Rs 17.9 crore over the first weekend. Cabinet minister and BJP MLA Vishvendra Singh, who is a descendant of Jat ruler Maharaja Surajmal, have joined the protests against the period film and will soon be seen with the protesters in Bharatpur. Former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje has also tweeted in support of the protest, demanding a ban on the Ashutosh Gowariker directorial.

Leaving Jaipur shortly. Will be joining the protests in Bharatpur at 1pm. #boycottpanipat

— Vishvendra Singh (@vishvendrabtp) December 9, 2019

It is unfortunate that the legendary Jat ruler, Maharajah Suraj Mal has been depicted in an unseemly light and historical facts have been distorted in the film, Panipat.

— Vishvendra Singh (@vishvendrabtp) December 8, 2019

In light of the vociferous protest by the Jat community in Haryana, Rajasthan and other regions of North India, I believe that the film should be banned to avoid a law and order situation. @ashokgehlot51 @VasundharaBJP @SachinPilot @KatariaLalchand @SatishPooniaBJP @Barmer_Harish

— Vishvendra Singh (@vishvendrabtp) December 8, 2019

Earlier, Vishvendra had demanded a ban on the film and tweeted Sunday evening, “It is unfortunate that the legendary Jat ruler, Maharajah Suraj Mal has been depicted in an unseemly light and historical facts have been distorted in the film, Panipat. In light of the vociferous protest by the Jat community in Haryana, Rajasthan and other regions of North India, I believe that the film should be banned to avoid a law and order situation. @ashokgehlot51 @VasundharaBJP @SachinPilot @KatariaLalchand @SatishPooniaBJP @Barmer_Harish.”

Vasundhara has also accused Panipat director Ashutosh Gowariker, of portraying Maharaja Surajmal in a ‘wrong light’, which she said, was ‘condemnable.’ “The portrayal of a loyal, devoted and kind-hearted emperor Maharaja Surajmal in the film ‘Panipat’ by the filmmaker of the movie in wrong light is condemnable,” Raje tweeted in Hindi.

She had also said in a statement, “The wrong depiction of self-respecting, faithful and ‘hriday Samrat’ Maharaja Suraj Mal in the film Panipat is condemnable.”

A group of people from the Jat community staged a protest against Panipat and even burnt an effigy of director Ashutosh, demanding a ban on the film on Saturday. Alleging that facts have been distorted in the film, Jats have threatened to intensify their protests if the film was not edited.

A few historians have also objected to the parts shown in the film. Historian Mahendra Singh Sikarwar, who has written a book on Bharatpur history, said the Red Fort of Agra was already under Maharaja Surajmal kingdom before the Panipat battle. “Maharaja Surajmal spoke only Braj language but the film shows him speaking a different language,” he said.