Ban Kangana’s Emergency Movie: Sikh Leaders

Hyderabad: Sikh community leaders urged the state government to ban the release of BJP MP and actress Kangana Ranaut's film Emergency, which is set to release in early September. A delegation of the Sikh community visited the Secretariat on Thursday and submitted a representation to the government complaining that the film depicts Sikhs as terrorists and anti-nationals.

A delegation from the Telangana Sikh Society, led by former IPS officer Tejdeep Kaur Menon, met adviser to the state government (SC, ST, OBC & Minorities) Mohammed Ali Shabbir at the Secretariat on Thursday. The delegation of 18 members submitted a representation, expressing their deep concerns over the film's portrayal of the Sikh community.

The Sikh community, which makes up two per cent of Telangana's population, has a notable presence in India's military and border security forces, said the delegation highlighting that nearly 12 per cent of the nation's military forces comprise Sikhs, many of whom have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty to protect the country.

The delegation said the community was distressed with the portrayal in the movie and conveyed their anger, especially among the Sikh youths, over the film's promotional material.

"The pre-release trailers disparagingly show the Sikh community, depicting them in a way that creates a negative narrative. This is highly objectionable," Tejdeep Kaur Menon said. After the meeting, Shabbir Ali met Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy brought the concerns of the Sikh community to his notice. Shabbir, later claimed that the CM had assured to decide on banning the film after obtaining legal advice.