New Delhi .The 72nd National Film Awards Ceremony will be held this time in Kevadiya, Gujarat instead of Delhi. Political controversy has started regarding changing the venue of the ceremony. Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray raised questions on the decision of the Central Government and alleged that an attempt is being made to build a wall between Gujarat and the rest of the country. Party MP Sanjay Raut has also criticized this decision and appealed to the artists to boycott the ceremony.
During a press conference in Mumbai on Tuesday, Uddhav Thackeray questioned why events like the National Film Awards could not be organized in Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore and other state capitals. He said that an answer should be sought from the Bharatiya Janata Party as to why efforts are being made to build a wall between Gujarat and the rest of the country.
Uddhav Thackeray's objection is regarding shifting the venue of the ceremony from Delhi to Gujarat. He questioned the reason behind this decision and presented it as an attempt to create distance between different parts of the country.
On this issue, Shiv Sena UBT MP Sanjay Raut also targeted the central government. He questioned whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi is only the Prime Minister of Gujarat. Raut said that this is a national event and hence people would expect it to be organized in the country's capital. He also asked whether this is a program of Vibrant Gujarat. He used the word 'mindful Naxalite' for the people behind this decision.
Raut made another claim regarding the change in the venue of the ceremony. He said that the venue of the awards ceremony is being changed before the assembly elections in Gujarat. He alleged that with this change the importance of the country's capital and the national award is being reduced. He appealed to the artists not to go to Gujarat and said that the artists who are proud of the country should refuse to accept the award.
According to officials, the National Film Awards ceremony will now be held in Kevadiya, Gujarat instead of Delhi. President Draupadi Murmu will felicitate the award winners on September 22. The event has become a subject of political debate due to the change in venue of the ceremony.
Kevadiya has now been named Ekta Nagar. The statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is located here, which is called the Statue of Unity. Its height is 597 feet and it was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018.
The National Film Awards were started in 1954. The first ceremony was held at Vigyan Bhawan, Delhi. After this, most of the functions took place in Vigyan Bhawan itself. However, on some occasions the event has also been held outside Delhi. In 1971, the 17th National Film Awards ceremony was held in Chennai. This time, Kevadiya in Gujarat has been made the venue for the 72nd ceremony, on which Uddhav Thackeray and Sanjay Raut have raised questions.