Rahul backs Udta Punjab, censorship sparks political row
BY M Post Bureau8 Jun 2016 1:19 AM GMT
M Post Bureau8 Jun 2016 1:19 AM GMT
Amid a raging controversy, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday raised a strong pitch for release of ‘Udta Punjab’, noting that the state has a “crippling drug problem” and censoring the film would not fix it. “Punjab has a crippling drug problem. Censoring #UdtaPunjab will not fix it. The government must accept the reality and find solutions,” the Congress vice-president tweeted.
As the Censor Board has raised objections to Shahid Kapoor-starrer film regarding references made in it to Punjab, opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress have accused the ruling SAD-BJP alliance of exercising their influence to “censor” the film, a charge denied by the state government.
Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Charanjit Singh Channi (Congress) said, “People of Punjab will rather benefit from the film, which deals with drug problem, a burning issue in the state. The youth will draw inspiration from it and stay away from drugs.”
“Akalis are not concerned about the image of Punjab. They are rather scared because with the film’s release, the image of the state government will be hit,” he added.
AAP MP Bhagwant Mann said, “The Censor Board has acted against ‘Udta Pinjab’ at the behest of SAD-BJP-led state government. It is an attack on the freedom of speech and expression in highlighting the extent of drug problem in the state.” “By indulging in such acts, the state government cannot hide the reality in Punjab, which has been pushed into a drug menace during its nine-year rule,” Mann alleged.
“Films are the mirror to the society and they project what is actually happening around us,” he added. Referring to Opposition attacks, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said, “How could the state government be held responsible for it when the Censor Board is exclusively under the control of the Government of India.”
Punjab BJP chief and Union Minister Vijay Sampla hailed the Censor Board’s move and said that any attempt to “defame” Punjab should be dealt with sternly. “Nobody should be allowed to defame Punjab...why did the producers name the film Udta Punjab? Why not Udta Bollywood...the drug problem is a global issue. Why is one state being singled out,” he said.
Sampla asked the Opposition parties to rise above their “political interests” and not allow anybody to “defame” Punjab in any manner. The film is slated to release on June 17.
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