Madhya Pradesh HC lifts ban on 'Jodhaa Akbar' : Happenings News : ApunKaChoice.Com


ApunKaChoice.Com	IndiaExpress.Com CricketZone.Com
Set as Homepage \| Add to favorites

HOME | SCOOP!! & NEWS | HAPPENINGS

Ashutosh Gowarikar

Madhya Pradesh HC lifts ban on 'Jodhaa Akbar'
27th Feb 2008 09.00 IST
By Agencies

Four days after the state government banned the screening of Ashutosh Gowarikar 's Jodhaa Akbar fearing trouble, Madhya Pradesh High Court on Tuesday allowed screening of the Aishwarya Rai – Hrithik Roshan starrer across the state.

Quashing the ban, a division Bench of Chief Justice A K Patnaik and Justice Prakash Shrivastava said protests had not been so intense that it could disrupt peace in the state.

'The film can't be banned for such minor protests,'' the court observed. Besides, the bench said the government decision was in violation of the fundamental rights of citizens.

Distributor of the film, UTV Software Communications Ltd, in its petition had argued that the ban was a ''unilateral decision'' by the state government without any substantial ground and had sought lifting of the ban.

The ban was imposed by the state's commercial taxes department last Friday after protests by Kshatriyas, who had threatened to burn cinemas screening the movie. They claimed that the Mughal period drama had distorted history and hurt the sentiments of the community.

Trouble started on February 15 at Gwalior when members of Kshatriya Mahasabha attacked two theatres.

On February 22, BJP government, exercising its powers under Section 6(1) of the Madhya Pradesh Cinematography Act, banned the film.

Meanwhile, hundreds of activists of Rajput Pratinidhi Sabha of Sirsa Tuesday staged a protest against the film for distorting history and demanded a ban on its screening across the country.

Led by its president Pooran Singh Rathor, the activists alleged Gowarikar had twisted historical facts in the film, which has injured the sentiments of Rajputs all over the country.

The protesters later went to the local mini-secretariat in Sirsa.

Rathor also alleged the film "traumatises and insults the sentiments of the Yadav community by depicting their ancestor Veer Hemu in bad shape".

Related
Ashutosh Gowarikar
Jodhaa Akbar
Aishwarya Rai
Hrithik Roshan