India on Friday expressed concern over certain pro-Khalistani elements disrupting the screening of the movie “Emergency” in the U.K.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India hoped that those involved in disrupting the screening will be held accountable.
“We consistently raise concerns with the U.K. government regarding incidents of violent protest and intimidation by anti-India elements,” he said.
Freedom of speech and expression cannot be applied selectively and those obstructing it must be held accountable, Mr. Jaiswal said.
We hope that the U.K. side will take appropriate action against those responsible, he said.
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U.K. MP condemns ‘Emergency’ film screening disruption
Earlier, an Opposition Conservative Party Member of Parliament urged the U.K. Home Secretary to intervene after his constituents in north-west London were threatened by “masked Khalistani terrorists” who burst into a screening of Kangana Ranaut’s film ‘Emergency’.
Bob Blackman told the House of Commons that similar disruption of the screenings of the “very controversial” film took place in Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Slough, Staines and Manchester. It has resulted in the Vue and Cineworld cinema chains deciding to pull the film from many theatres in the U.K.
“On Sunday, many of my constituents gathered and paid for a screening of the film ‘Emergency’ in the Harrow Vue cinema. At about 30 or 40 minutes into the screening of the film, masked Khalistani terrorists burst in, threatened members of the audience and forced the screening to end,” Mr. Blackman said in Parliament.
“The film is very controversial, and I am not commenting on its quality or content, but I defend the right of my constituents and other members’ constituents to be able to view it and make a decision on it. It covers the period when Indira Gandhi was the prime minister of India,” he said.
The MP noted that there are certain views in the U.K. that it is an “anti-Sikh film” but asserted that his constituents should be able to judge for themselves and not be “threatened by thugs who want to disrupt democratic opportunities to see public films”.
“May we have a statement from the Home Secretary [Yvette Cooper] next week on what will be done to ensure that people who want to see such films, which have been passed by censors, can do so in peace and harmony? I absolutely defend the right of people to demonstrate outside cinemas, but not to disrupt viewings,” he added.
Leader of the Commons Lucy Powell responded on behalf of the Labour Party government by saying that Mr. Blackman had raised a “very important matter about the relationship between free speech and the right to protest peacefully”.
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“The ability of people to go about their activities freely whatever they choose to do, whether that is seeing a film which, as he says, has been agreed by the censors and all those who look at those issues. I will certainly ensure that he and the whole House get an update on the very important matters he raises,” said Ms. Powell.
Some British Sikh groups have organised protests against ‘Emergency’, disrupting its screenings at some cinemas in the U.K. since its release last Friday. The Sikh Press Association group had stated on social media that the film is seen as “anti-Sikh” and these protests resulted in cancelled screenings in Birmingham and Wolverhampton, in the West Midlands region of England.
Community organisation Insight U.K. had posted a video on its X platform showing masked protesters interrupting a London screening of the film, directed by Ranaut who also essays the role of former prime minister Indira Gandhi.
Published – January 24, 2025 06:02 pm IST
