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Maharashtra govt rejects demand for ban on Gadar

Brushing aside the demand for a ban on controversial film Gadar, the Maharashtra government on Tuesday said those opposing the movie should approach the Censor Board.

"The government is not connected with the issue and those opposing the film should approach the Censor Board," Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said.

Meanwhile, expressing concern over the violent protests against the film, Shiv Sena chief Thackeray raised doubts whether the government had the guts "to take action against Muslims expressing their loyalty to Pakistan by protesting against the film."

He ridiculed the 'silence' of thespian Dilip Kumar, actress Shabana Azmi and her lyricist husband Javed Akhtar over the attacks on movie halls screening the Sunny Deol-Amisha Patel starrer.

The producer of the film, Nitin Keni, claimed that the protests were "part of a sinister plan to keep patrons away from Cinema theatres."

Referring to the demand for deletion of certain objectionable parts from the movie, Keni said neither he nor the distributors of the film have been informed about the points of objection. "It appears that most of the agitators have not seen the movie," he said.

Muslim League Chief Faruqe Azam said the movie shows a Muslim girl renouncing her religion to marry a Sikh. "This will not be tolerated by Muslims," he said and added that the "film clearly aims to create communal tensions between the two communities."

Meanwhile, security in the metropolis and neighbouring Thane district has been stepped up following threats by some local organisations to disrupt the film's screening.

PTI

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