Row over 'Razakar' movie ahead of T'gana Assembly polls

Hyderabad, Sep 18: An upcoming multilingual film 'Razakar' has triggered a row in Telangana with the BJP looking to promote it ahead of Assembly polls while the state government is weighing options following concern in some quarters that the movie may vitiate communal harmony in the state.

State minister K.T. Rama Rao on Monday promised that the matter will be taken up with the Censor Board and Telangana police to ensure that the law and order situation in the state is not affected

"Some intellectually bankrupt jokers of the BJP are doing their best to instigate communal violence and polarisation for their political propaganda in Telangana," KTR, who is also the working president of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), posted on X, formerly Twitter.

His assurance came on a post by a journalist requesting the government to protect peace and tranquility of Hyderabad and Telangana by stopping the release of 'fake propaganda' movie.

The teaser of 'Razakar' was released on September 17, which marks the anniversary of erstwhile Hyderabad State's accession to the Indian Union.

The makers of the movie claimed that it depicts the atrocities committed by Razakars on Hindu population after India's Independence.

Razakars were the paramilitary volunteer force working with the Nizam government to keep Hyderabad State independent.

Hyderabad State, comprising Telangana and parts of present day Karnataka and Maharashtra, acceded to Indian Union on September 17, 1948 after India's military operation code-named 'Operation Polo', which is popularly called 'Police Action'.

Suspended BJP MLA Raja Singh was present at the release of the teaser of 'Razakar' produced by BJP leader Gudur Narayana Reddy.

Comparing 'Razakar' to 'Kashmir Files', Raja Singh expressed the
apprehension that attempts may be made to stall its release. 

He assured the film unit that it will be released in theaters at any cost.

The producer claimed that the film depicts real incidents with no fictional elements. 

He alleged that historical truths were suppressed due to vote-bank politics and pseudo-secularism,

Directed by Yata Satyanarayana, the film is set to release in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Kannara and Malayalam.

The director said through this movie they have tried to tell the new generation what had happened in the Hyderabad State for 13 months after India's Independence.

Some of the scenes depicted in the teaser have drawn huge criticism from various quarters. 

Several netizens voiced their concern that the objectionable contents including provocative slogans and dialogues may
vitiate communal harmony in this historic city and other parts of Telangana.

The BJP is likely to use the movie and the controversy surrounding it for communal polarisation in the run up to Assembly elections slated to be held in November-December.

Meanwhile, BJP general secretary Bandi Sanjay Kumar took strong exception to KTR's post. 

He alleged that after backtracking on the promise to celebrate Liberation Day, he has a problem when the realities of Razakars
are shown. 

"This is just a trailer. On a Hindu festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, he didn't even care to convey greetings, but instead decided to attack a movie that has shown Hindu genocide by Razakar," said the BJP MP.

Sanjay had earlier commented on the teaser of the movie released on September 17,

"Literally Goosebumps watching the trailer of the movie Razakar… Current generations should know about the struggles of Hyderabad Liberation. Let's engage with history even as the pseudo intellectuals try to erase it," reads his post.

BRS leader Dasoju Srravan slammed Bandi Sanjay for welcoming the teaser saying the movie is aimed at raking up a wound that was healed several decades ago.

Srravan advised the BJP leader to study the factual history of armed struggle. 

"Are you ready to debate who were behind the Razakars? Are you
ready to discuss the brutal and barbaric role of our so called landlords and rulers of Gadis and Samstahnams during the times of Razakar atrocities? Are you ready to discuss about the atrocities and violence occurred even after the era of Razakars? Being a member of Parliament, it is unbecoming and unacceptable of Bandi Sanjay to even welcome Razakar teaser which is aimed at raking up a wound that is healed several decades ago," the BRS leader posted.

"For the sake of petty politics of polarisation, Razakar film is being produced and promoted as a criminal conspiracy to destroy social tranquility; to foster hatred and divisive atmosphere and also to contaminate the very social fabric of Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb in Telangana and Hyderabad," he added.