Loveratri controversy: Hindu leader announces reward for slapping Salman Khan publicly

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) had said last week that it will not allow screening of Salman Khan Films' upcoming movie Loveratri as its name distorts the meaning of a Hindu festival.

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New Delhi: Salman Khan Films’ Loveratri in which Bollywood actor Salman Khan is launching his brother in law Aayush Sharma, has landed in controversy even before its release. The film has been at the target of right-wing groups since the past week. A leader of a Hindu institution, announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh to anyone who would slap Salman Khan publicly and that of Rs 2 lakh to anybody who vandalises the set. The man Govind Parashar, is the leader of Agra unit of the VHP's international working president Pravin Togadia’s new organisation ‘Hindu Hi Aage’. As per reports, Parashar along with his party workers went to Bhagwan talkies and burnt the posters of Salman Khan’s films raising slogans against Salman Khan and his film Loveratri. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)  had said last week that it will not allow screening of Salman Khan Films' upcoming movie Loveratri as its name distorts the meaning of a Hindu festival. "We will not allow its exhibition in cinema halls in the country. We don't want the sentiments of Hindus to be hurt," VHP's international working president Alok Kumar said. Speaking to reporters Kumar said, "The film is set against the backdrop of Navratri, a Hindu festival. Loveratri, which is said to have a backdrop of Gujarat, is slated to be released on October 5 this year, around the same time when Navaratri would be celebrated. A number of movies in the past have faced opposition from VHP and other organisations over one or the other issue and some of them had to go for a new name, besides other changes. Deepika Padukone-starrer Padmavati had to change its name to Padmaavat. (with inputs from PTI)