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| Censor Board chief Leela Samson |
A day after Censor Board chief Leela Samson quit over clearance to controversial film Messenger of God, the government denied any interference in the board's functioning.
According to the report published in various newspaper today, minister of state for Information and Broadcasting, Rajyavardhan Rathore told reporters that there was no government interference in clearing the MSG.
Hitting out at Samson, Rathore said, "The Censor
Board is an independent body, it needs to behave like one." He also said
that the decision of the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) over the
film should be final and acepted by all.
On Thursday, censor Board chief Leela Samson had resigned
over the clearance of the controversial film Messenger of God featuring Dera
Sacha Sauda leader Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in lead role by Film Certification
Appellate Tribunal (FCAT).
According to the reports the published by The Bharatnatyam danseuse Leea
Samsom was unhappy with the "interference, coercion and corruption of panel members and
officers" appointed in the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) by
the Union Information & Broadcasting Ministry.
Recently, the Board had also come
under pressure from members of the Sangh Parivar over the Amir Khan starrer PK. At
that point, Ms. Samson had gone on record stating that no scene from the film
would be removed as it had already been released.
In the midst of the controversy,
she had said over a fortnight ago: "Every film may hurt religious
sentiments of somebody or the other. We can't remove scenes unnecessarily
because there is something called creative endeavour where people present
things in their own way. We have already given certificate to PK and we can't remove anything now
because it's already out for public viewing."
Ms. Samson's three year term had ended in April 2014 but had
been continuing with the charge in the absence of a fresh appointment by the
Modi Government. The same was the case with other members of the Board. In
July, the Ministry had informed the Board members that their term was being
extended "till further notice".
