Delhi HC refuses to urgently list plea against Paresh Rawal’s ‘The Taj Story’

The petitioner urged a bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyay and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela to list the petition, arguing that the movie presents fabricated and provocative content

The Delhi high court on Wednesday refused to urgently list a petition seeking a stay on the release of Paresh Rawal’s “The Taj Story”. The movie, scheduled to be released on Friday, has triggered a controversy since the makers released its poster showing Lord Shiva’s statue emerging from the Taj Mahal’s dome.

The petitioner said the movie is based on fabricated facts and propaganda. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The petitioner, advocate Shakeel Abbas, urged a bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyay and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela to list the petition on Wednesday, arguing that the movie presents fabricated and provocative content regarding the Taj Mahal’s origins.

The court rejected his request. “Why today [Wednesday]? When was the certification issued? It will be auto-listed. Sorry.”

In his petition, Abbas sought to stay the movie’s release in the current form and requested the court to direct the Central Board of Film Certification to review the certificate granted to the film or impose necessary cuts to safeguard communal harmony. He urged a direction for the movie to carry a disclaimer saying it portrays a contested narrative.

The petition said the movie is based on fabricated facts and propaganda and spreads a manipulated history and promotes misinformation. It added that the movie’s release without cuts has the likelihood of eroding faith in historical scholarship, provoking communal unrest, and damaging the international reputation of the Taj Mahal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

“The movie contains deeply divisive scenes that could provoke communal tensions and disturb peace in society. The film has amplified controversial statements time to time by BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] leaders and other Hindutva Organizations...”

The plea said the movie may spark communal unrest nationwide amid growing concerns regarding the potentially inflammatory and divisive content of the movie.