The Bombay High Court, in the context of death threats received by the actress Deepika Padukone for her role in the film “Padmavati,” has observed that such attacks on creative freedom and artists do not augur well for Democracy.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — Miffed over the frequent attack by hardliners on Indian artists and activists seeking to voice their expressions and opinions, the country's judiciary has taken strong cognizance of the matter.

"A democratic country like India is cutting a very sorry figure with open threats being given to artists and others and with attacks on people for voicing their opinions," the Bombay High Court has observed.

The observation was made by Justices S C Dharmadhikari and Bharti Dangre of the Bombay High Court, while hearing a plea filed by family members of the slain rationalists Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare to fast-track the duo's murder case.

Drawing a parallel between the murder of Dabholkar and Pansare and the latest death threats received by popular actress Deepika Padukone for her role in the historical epic "Padmavati" based on the life of a Hindu Queen who was passionately desired by a Muslim ruler, the court observed that such attack on creative freedom does not augur well for democracy.

In which other country do you see threats given to artists and performers? It is distressing to know that a person makes a feature film and several people work tirelessly towards it but are not able to release the film because of continued threats. What have we come to? Justice Dharmadhikari was quoted as saying by a local news agency.

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Sanjay Leela Bhansali has not been able to release "Padmavati" after the film was declined certification by the CBFC — the country's film censorship body. Moreover, actress Deepika Padukone has received death threats by hardliners who accused the director of portraying the medieval Mughal era Hindu Queen Padmavati in a bad light. Bhansali has refuted the allegations as baseless.

"In this country, we have come to a situation where people cannot voice their opinions. Every time a person says he or she wants to voice an opinion, somebody or a fringe group says they will not allow it. This does not augur well for the state," Justice Dharmadhikari said in his observations.

The court's observations have evoked strong reactions on social media, especially Twitter wherein many people have expressed solidarity with the team of "Padmavati" and actress Deepika Padukone.