Censor Board denies nod for Malayalam movie on JNU agitation
Thiruvananthapuram: Malayalam film 'Varthamanam', set in the backdrop of students protest held in Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi early this year, has been denied permission for screening by the Censor Board of Film Certification's (CBFC) regional office here.
Directed by noted filmmaker Sidhartha Siva with award- winning actress Parvathy Thiruvoth in the lead role, the movie revolves around the journey of a Keralite woman who goes to the JNU campus from the home state for her research studies.
Aryadan Shoukath, the film's producer-script-writer, said the CBFC officials here did not point out any reason for denying the certification.
He also said the movie would be submitted to the revising committee of the Censor Board in Mumbai for certification this week itself.
"The CBFC officials here just informed us that the film has to be submitted to the revising committee. We still do not know why the movie is denied the certification," Shoukath, also a Congress leader, told PTI.
The award-winning script writer said he had carried out several months of research and studies before penning the script and spent several days in Delhi to get first-hand experience of the culture and lifestyle in JNU campus.
"We cannot send the movie for any award this time if we do not get the Censor Board clearance before December 31," he said.
Shoukath suspected that the nod for screening was denied on political grounds citing a recent tweet of a censor board member, who is also the state vice president ofSC Morcha of the BJP.
"Adv V Sandeep Kumar, a censor board member, recently tweeted that the permission was denied as Aryadan Shoukath was its script writer and producer.
Now a days Censor Board has several political appointees who have no basic knowledge of cinema," he said.
Shoukath, the other day, also uploaded on his Facebook page the screenshot of the controversial tweet of the regional censor Board member.
In his tweet, which was found removed later, Sandeep Kumar had said that he, as a member of the Board, was opposed to giving nod for the movie.
"As a member of the Censor Board, I saw the movie Varthamanam. The theme was the persecution of Muslims and Dalits in the JNU agitation. I opposed it.
Because Arydan Shoukath was its script writer and producer. Of course, the theme of the film was anti-national," the tweet said.
Violence broke out at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus early in January this year as masked men armed with sticks and rods attacked students and teachers protesting the fee hike and damaged property on the campus, prompting the administration to call in the police which conducted a flag march.
Coming down heavily on him, Shoukath, in his FB post, sought to know how a movie would become anti-national if it speaks about the students' agitation in Delhi campus or the democratic movements in the country.
"We are still living in India which is a democratic, secular and socialist country.
Is it based on the clan and race of the script-writer that a film is given a nod for screening? The undeclared emergency situation in the cultural sector cannot be accepted," the script-writer's FB post said.
Film sources here told PTI that when two censor board members, who are from the film industry, strongly supported the movie and wanted to give it a nod for screening, two others, who are political nominees, objected to it.
When contacted, the censor board officials here were unavailable for a comment.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
JD(S) attacks K’taka govt over fuel prices, accuses it of mobilising funds for guarantee schemes
Mysuru (PTI): Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the Congress government in Karnataka over petrol and diesel prices, accusing it of "misleading the public" while repeatedly raising taxes and fuel prices to finance its guarantee schemes.
Addressing a public outreach programme titled 'Janarondige Janata Dal' (Janata Dal with the people) and a membership campaign in the Chamundeshwari Assembly constituency in Mysuru, the JD(S) state president challenged Congress leaders to make public the number of tax hikes and price increases imposed by the state government over the last three years.
"On one hand, the government is deceiving people by claiming to provide guarantees, while on the other, it is repeatedly increasing prices. Let the Congress government release a list of how many times it has imposed taxes and raised prices," Kumaraswamy said.
He alleged that the Congress government had continuously increased taxes and prices on liquor, bus fares, electricity, and several other sectors to mobilise funds for its five guarantee schemes—Gruha Lakshmi, Gruha Jyothi, Anna Bhagya, Shakti, and Yuva Nidhi.
Kumaraswamy also criticised Congress leaders for attacking the Centre over fuel price hikes and asked them to introspect on their own contribution to the state’s development before holding the proposed 'Sadhana Samavesha' (achievement convention) on May 19.
Referring to the global oil situation, he said the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran had triggered an international oil supply crisis and argued that fuel prices in India remained lower than in many developed countries.
"In Singapore, which is a developed country, petrol costs Rs 245. Congress leaders should open their eyes and see this," he claimed.
He further questioned what the Congress party would have done had it been in power during the present international crisis.
"Did anyone foresee that such a war would take place? If Congress leaders had such foresight, let them say so. If the Congress party itself had been in power during such a difficult situation, what would it have done?" Kumaraswamy asked.
Throughout his address, the former CM mounted a sustained attack on Congress leaders and dismissed claims that guarantee schemes had improved people’s lives.
"Congress leaders think people are living peacefully because of the guarantee schemes. That is wrong," he said.
Recalling the by-election scenario in the Chamundeshwari constituency in 2006, Kumaraswamy said JD(S) had suffered defeat due to internal mistakes within the party.
"If our leaders had been cautious then, the situation would not have reached this stage. JD(S) suffered defeat because of some mistakes on our part," he said.
He added that he shared a deep bond with the constituency.
Calling upon party workers to prepare for the next Assembly elections, Kumaraswamy expressed confidence that JD(S) would win 75 seats in the next polls and asserted that Chamundeshwari constituency would return to the party in 2028.
"There is no confusion in our party," he said, adding that JD(S) would not bow to any pressure and that the convention had been organised to strengthen its presence in Chamundeshwari.
"Our party has lakhs of loyal workers as its backbone. JD(S) remains strong even today because of the hard work of our cadre," he said.
Kumaraswamy also claimed that during his tenure as CM, he had sanctioned more funds for the Chamundeshwari constituency than the present CM (Siddaramaiah).
"We are not holding this convention to oppose anyone. We are organising it to inform the people about the failures of the state government," he said.
Addressing the gathering in a traditional turban, Kumaraswamy said the gesture was intended to send a message to the Hallumatha and Kuruba communities and reassure them of JD(S) support.
"JD(S) is working for Kurubas, Dalits, and minorities. I am not helping distressed people for publicity. I do it out of self-satisfaction and duty," he said.
