Haryana bans Aaja Nachle

Haryana on Saturday followed its neighbours Punjab and Uttar Pradesh in putting a ban on the screening of Madhuri Dixit comeback starrer film Aaja Nachle in the state.

According to an official announcement in Chandigarh on Saturday evening, the film has been banned in all 20 districts of the state, including Gurgaon and Faridabad, bordering Delhi with immediate effect till further orders.

All district magistrates in the state have been directed to take immediate action to suspend the screening of the film in their respective districts and send a report to the government immediately, an official spokesman said.

He said that the decision was taken following reports from various quarters that there was "heavy resentment and anguish among the people belonging to Scheduled Caste community over some objectionable utterances in a part of the film allegedly demeaning their caste and thereby hurting their sentiments. Therefore, the possibility of violent protest and clashes leading to breach of peace and law and order situation in the state with resultant damage to public life and property could not be ruled out," the spokesman said.

The order banning the screening of the movie has been issued under Section 6 of the Punjab Cinemas (Regulation) Act 1952 as applicable to Haryana, he said.