Kangana Ranaut says 'Emergency' stuck with censor board
New Delhi (PTI): Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut on Friday said her film “Emergency” is still stuck with the censor board contrary to rumours that it has been cleared for release.
Ranaut, the BJP MP from Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi, stars in the role of former prime minister Indira Gandhi in the film that is scheduled for release on September 6.
In a video message posted on X, the actor claimed that she and the members of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) have been receiving threats.
She said she is under pressure to not show the assassination of the former prime minster by her security guards.
“There are rumours that our film ‘Emergency’ has got a censor certificate. It is not true. In fact, our film was cleared earlier but it’s certification has been stopped because of several threats,” Ranaut said.
“People of the censor board are also getting a lot of threads. There is pressure on us to not show the assassination of Mrs Gandhi, Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and the Punjab riots. I don’t know what we will show then, that there is a blackout in the film? This is unbelievable time for me and I am very sorry for this state of things in this country,” she added.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Friday sent a legal notice to CBFC seeking to prevent the release of Ranaut’s film, claiming it may “incite communal tensions” and “spread misinformation”.
It alleged the trailer of the film depicted “erroneous historical facts that not only misrepresent the Sikh community but also promote hatred and social discord.”
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Women's bill: This is democracy, not Hitler rule, says Dy CM Shivakumar
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday criticised the BJP-led Centre over the timing and handling of the Women’s Reservation Amendment Bill, saying the opposition was not taken into confidence.
He also called for wider consultation in a democratic framework.
The deputy CM said the Congress has consistently supported women’s reservation, but objected to the manner in which the Bill was brought forward, alleging that it was introduced without adequate discussion with opposition parties.
“This is democracy; this is not a Hitler-style rule. They cannot bring it in the middle of elections and try to alter the entire constituencies,” Shivakumar told reporters here.
The Deputy Chief Minister maintained that the move should have been discussed across party lines.
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“They have to take everyone into confidence, but they have not done that. That is why the opposition parties have done a very good job. So, it is a victory of the INDIA alliance,” Shivakumar, who is Congress Karnataka unit president, said.
He was speaking about the setback to the BJP-led Central government, where a Constitution Amendment Bill to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures in 2029 and increase the number of Lok Sabha seats to 816 was defeated on Friday, with the ruling dispensation asserting that the struggle to give the rights to women will continue.
While 298 members voted in support of the bill in Lok Sabha, 230 MPs voted against it. Out of 528 members who voted, the bill required 352 votes for a two-third majority.
According to the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, Lok Sabha seats were to be increased to 816 from the current 543 to "operationalise" the women's reservation law before the 2029 parliamentary polls, following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census.
Seats were also to be increased in state and Union territory assemblies to accommodate 33 per cent reservation for women.
Responding to BJP’s charge that the Congress is anti-women, he said, “This is not anyone’s personal property—women are the nation’s asset. We had passed this in the Rajya Sabha and Congress has already given 50 per cent reservation to women in local bodies. Even today, we support it.”
Alleging that the proposed changes could impact regional representation, Shivakumar said, “Without consulting us, they are trying to redraw constituencies, giving more weight to North India and reducing representation in South India. No one can tolerate this.”
He added that leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and several South Indian Chief Ministers have opposed the move, terming the defeat of the bills a "major victory for democracy".
The Congress Karnataka chief asserted that the Congress and the INDIA bloc stand firmly in support of women’s rights.
