Fri Jan 17 11:39:56 UTC 2025: **Protests Erupt in Amritsar as Kangana Ranaut’s “Emergency” Faces Sikh Community Backlash**

AMRITSAR, PUNJAB – The release of Kangana Ranaut’s film “Emergency” has been met with significant protests in Amritsar, Punjab. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the highest temporal authority of Sikhs, is leading the demonstrations, alleging the film distorts historical events and defames the Sikh community, particularly its portrayal of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.

Heavy police presence was deployed outside a cinema in Amritsar on January 17th, the film’s release date, following the SGPC’s calls for a ban. The SGPC claims the film misrepresents the 1984 Sikh massacre and the role of key figures within the community. Despite earlier protests and a letter to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann expressing concerns, the film was given a green light by the censor board, prompting the SGPC to take its protests directly to cinemas.

While the cinema initially refrained from screening the film on the day of its release, the SGPC warns of escalating protests should the film’s screening proceed. The committee holds the Punjab government responsible for maintaining law and order should further unrest ensue. The SGPC has also submitted a formal request to the Amritsar Deputy Commissioner to halt the film’s release within the state. The situation remains tense, with the potential for further conflict depending on the authorities’ response.

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