The CBFC Chairperson Prasoon Joshi will not be attending the Zee Jaipur Literature Festival due to the continuous threats from the Sri Rajput Karni Sena. He was suppose to address a session  in the event on Sunday. In the wake of the, Padmaavat release controversy the CBFC member had to pull out of the fest.

“Will not be attending JLF this year and must say will miss sharing great moments with literature and poetry lovers. I am doing this so that the dignity of the event does not get compromised or discomfort caused either to the organisers, fellow writers or the attendees. And also so that the lovers of literature get to focus on creativity and not controversy,” Joshi said in a statement released by the JLF organisers on Saturday morning.

The Sri Rajput Karni Sena had said it would not allow Joshi to attend the Jaipur Literature Festival. “The issue around the film “Padmaavat” — I did my job and sincerely took a sensitive and balanced call. As I have said earlier, certification was done with due processes, incorporating valid suggestions whilst staying mindful to the concerns of the society as well as to the canvas of cinema. It’s sad that we are not relying on genuine peaceful dialogue. It’s important that we keep mutual trust and faith in each other and our institutions so that the issues don’t reach this far,” Joshi added in the statement.

A noted lyricist, screenwriter and poet, Joshi has received the Filmfare Best Lyricist Award three times, in 2007 and 2008 and again in 2014 (“Bhaag Milkha Bhaag”). He has also received the National Film Award for Best Lyrics twice, for his work in “Taare Zameen Par”(2007), and “Chittagong” (2013). He was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian award, in 2015, for his contribution in the field of Arts, Literature and Advertising.

Prasoon Joshi is not the first one who had to back out of the fest because of such threats. In 2012, acclaimed novelist Salman Rushdie had not attended the festival in view of security threats against him as hundreds of Muslim activists appeared in Diggi Palace, stating that they would not let Rushdie appear nor allow a video footage to be played.
-With IANS inputs