Heat over 'Padmavati' release engulfs Congress, party stalwarts cross swords

The row over Sanjay Leela Bhansali's upcoming period drama 'Padmavati' has the country’s warrior clan, more famously known as Rajputs on the streets baying  for Bhansali's blood. But now the heat has unexpectedly engulfed Congress with its stalwarts like Sahshi Tharoor, Jyotiraoaditya Scindia locking horns over former's "valorious maharaja" remark.

Shashi Tharoor speaking at an event, taunted the Rajputs' “valorous maharajas”, who are protesting against the release of ‘Padmavati’.

Tharoor had said that “every single one of these so called valorous maharajas, who today are after a Mumbai filmmaker because their honour is at stake, they were less concerned about their honour when the British were trampling all over it. They scurried to accommodate themselves.”

Replying to his remark, Scindia said that Tharoor should "read history" and he was proud of his past.

Jyotiraditya Scindia, a Congress MP from Gwalior, belongs to the prominent Scindia-Maratha clan which ruled Malwa region for decades while Shashi Tharoor, a former Cabinet minister, is hailed as one of the most intellectual politician of the country.

While Scindia has a lot at stake being the heir to one of the well-known ‘Kshatriya’ clans, Tharoor has always envasgaed a vibrant and dynamic India.

Be it a fight for prestige for Scindia or right to intellectual freedom for Tharoor, the Padmavati row has exposed the ideological difference present inside a party which claims to be liberal, at least publically.

It was not just Scindia with whom Tharoor's remark didn't go down well. Another senior Congress leader and Himachal CM Virbhadra Singh, who also belongs to a royal family jumped into the controversy and expressed his displeasure over fellow party member's comment.

He said, “We did not accept our defeat. East India Company sent their forces twice to occupy nation. They said they need more force” and added, “Meanwhile, Queen Victoria finished the company and became Empress of India.”

The Karni Sena, a right wing organisation of Rajputs is opposing the release of Padmavati and has openly threatened to cause terrible harm to the star cast and director of the movie.

The movie is based on a legendry Rajput queen Padmavati, who some believe was a ‘fictional character’ but considered motherly figure by the community.

They are alleging the movie 'Padmavati' which was slated to release on December 1 (which is highly unlikely after Censor board sent the film back to makers), demeans their queen and distorts historic facts.