Samajwadi Party & RLD demand ban on 'Adipurush', apology from makers

Lucknow, June 20 (IANS) The Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) have joined hands against the film 'Adipurush' demanding ban and an apology from its makers.

The two parties have slammed the film for its "cheap and superficial dialogues" and said that this was part of an "agenda". The SP also attacked the ruling BJP over the issue.

Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Akhilesh Yadav said the Censor Board should check the "political character certificate" of those who play with people's faith by making films with an agenda using the money of their political masters.

"Has the Censor Board become Dhritarashtra (visually challenged)?" the SP chief tweeted.

Samajwadi Party national general secretary Shivpal Yadav said the efforts are being made to belittle the great and inspiring character of Lord Ram and his story through cinema with "cheap and superficial dialogues".

He said crores of faithful 'Sanatanis' are hurt and for this deed, the so-called sanatani BJP leaders must apologise to the country.

Another SP national general secretary Swami Prasad Maurya, who early this year courted controversy over Ramcharitmanas (an ancient epic on Lord Ram) by alleging caste discrimination in the epic, also attacked the BJP over the movie.

Maurya said: "The kind of language given to the characters by Manoj Muntashir and Om Raut is indecent... have they not insulted the 'sanatan dharma'? If yes, where are all those who had issued threats to behead me? Is it just because these two -- Manoj Muntashir and Om Raut -- are of high caste?"

The Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) demanded that the movie must be banned.

The RLD spokesman said, "The movie Adipurush has mocked the Ramayana and the faith in Sanatan Dharma which is intolerable. The indecent language and scenes in the movie have hurt religious sentiments. RLD demands immediate ban on the movie and the movie makers must apologise to the people for fiddling with the religious texts and culture."