Padmavati Controversy: Delhi HC dismisses plea, says such petitions encourage agitators

The Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed a plea against the film "Padmavati", observing that such petitions were encouraging those agitating against the movie.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar termed as "hopeless" and "misconceived" a petition seeking that a committee be set up prior to the release of the movie to check whether there was any distortion of history.

"Have you (counsel for the petitioner) seen the film.

Have the people, who are burning cinema halls seen the film? By this kind of petitions, you are encouraging the people who are agitating," the bench observed.

It further directed the petitioner, Akhand Rashtrawadi Party, which claims to be a political party, to approach the Censor Board as the court was not inclined to entertain it.

The plea has said that the committee was necessary as there was alleged distortion of historical facts in the film starring Deepika Padukone.