Sikh groups in Punjab and Haryana on Friday staged peaceful protests against the release of the controversial movie “Nanak Shah Fakir”, which is based on the life and teachings of Sikhism’s founder Guru Nanak Dev.

At most places, the Sikh protestors staged peaceful protests against the release of the movie on Friday. The Akat Takht, highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, had on Thursday appealed the community to boycott the movie and protest peacefully against the film’s release as it. depicts Guru Nanak Dev in a human form which is not permitted as per the religion.

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Reports said in Punjab’s Fatehgarh Sahib, protesters stopped a goods train for around 20 minutes but lifted the blockade following the intervention of the Government Railway Police (GRP) and local police.

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC)-run local education institutes remained closed on Friday to protest against the movie.

A similar protest was held in Ferozepur and Jalandhar, where a group of Sikhs burnt an effigy of the film’s producer, Harinder Sikka.

In Haryana, Sikhs protested at several places, including Sirsa, Karnal, Yamunanagar and Kurukshetra.

The Akat Takht on Thursday ex-communicated the maker of controversial film ‘Nanak Shah Fakir’ from the panth (religion).

Pronouncing the decision, Akal Takht jathedar Gurbachan Singh had said despite the complete ban on the release of controversial film in view the Sikh sentiments, film-maker Harinder Singh Sikka was adamant to release the movie on 13 April.

The controversial film Nanak Shah Fakir was cleared by the Supreme Court for its release on April 13. The film has run into controversy with the SGPC and Akal Takht opposing the release of the film. The Punjab government had earlier said that since the film is not being released in Punjab by the maker, no ban on it was required in the state.

The Chief Minister, Amarinder Singh, had however said that while authors, film-makers etc had the creative freedom of expression, such freedom could not be allowed to violate the religious sensitivities of any community.

Imposing a complete ban on Nanak Shah Fakir, the Akal Takht had said that showing Sikh gurus in living form cannot be permitted. “And the issue relating to human beings playing the role of the Guru and his family has not been addressed,” Singh had said earlier he said.

Some radical Sikh organisations too have demanded ban on the movie, claiming it “brazenly violates the religious philosophy and Sikh maryada (code of conduct)”.