Unfazed by Takht’s ban demand, Sirsa dera followers promote film in Bathinda villages

Even as the Akal Takht and Sikh organisations have demanded a ban on the upcoming movie, ‘MSG: The Messenger of God’, starring Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda sect head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, dera followers are busy promoting the film in villages of the district.

Even as the Akal Takht and Sikh organisations have demanded a ban on the upcoming movie, ‘MSG: The Messenger of God’, starring Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda sect head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, dera followers are busy promoting the film in villages of the district.

Dera followers are installing boards in the villages and also distributing sweets among followers, asking them to watch the movie. Special T-shirts are also being distributed.

Dera followers are being exhorted at ‘naam charcha’ (religious congregation) to watch the movie and encourage others to do so too. On Monday, several dera followers were seen promoting the movie at Nathana village near Bathinda. Posters have been pasted in parts of Bathinda city also.

A member of the dera’s political wing, Balraj Singh Insaan, said, “We have assigned duties block-wise for the purpose. Posters and banners are being pasted at houses of dera followers across villages.”

He added that promotional activities would be stepped up near the date of release (January 16). He stressed that the film was aimed for eradicating social evils.

The Akal Takht, the supreme temporal body of the Sikhs, has already called upon the Punjab government to ban the screening of the movie in the state, claiming that the film, if released, was bound to disturb communal harmony in various parts of the country, particularly in Punjab and Haryana.

Several Sikh organisations, such as the Dal Khalsa and the All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) have also joined the chorus for a ban on the movie.