rkt.india Posted January 17, 2015 Posted January 17, 2015 Leela Samson, the outgoing chief of Central Board of Film Certification who resigned to protest the clearance to controversial film Messenger of God, has accused the NDA government of "coercion" and interfering with her decisions on several films, including Aamir Khan-starrer PK. Amid reports that Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's film MSG: The Messenger of God had got the nod from an appellate tribunal and would finally be released on January 23, Samson said she had resigned on Thursday. In an exclusive interview to Hindustan Times, Samson accused the information and broadcasting ministry of stifling her functioning by meddling in "every new film being released, big and small". Samson's term had expired last September but it was extended on a temporary basis every three months since then. "There was total interference on every film, big and small. A lot of pressure was put on the film PK through various fundamentalist organisations and through panel members of the board to cut scenes," said Samson. She said the ministry disagreed with audience certifications for most films. "If we gave an 'U', they would want an A certificate," she said. Samson said the reasons for her decision to quit include "interference, coercion and corruption of panel members and officers of the organisation who are appointed by the (information) ministry and having to manage an organisation whose Board has not met for over 9 months as the ministry had 'no funds' to permit the meeting of members". Samson said the government was trying to interfere in the working of the Censor Board through the information ministry by appointing an "additional charge CEO". Following Samson's resignation , another member, Ira Bhaskar, too quit from the Censor Board saying , "Things were clearly not in order. There was no meeting in the past one year though it was mandatory for board members to meet every three months." The government, however, refuted charges of interference in the functioning of the Censor Board levelled by Samson and asserted it has always maintained a distance from the certification process. Reacting to the CBFC chairperson's statement that she had decided to resign because of "recent cases" of interference in the functioning of the Board, minister of state in the information and broadcasting ministry Rajyavardhan Rathore said the ministry has always "kept a hands away distance" from the Censor Board decisions. http://www.hindustantimes.com/Images/popup/2015/1/1701pg10b.jpg "This latest issue of the chairperson resigning has come to light. I would like to bring to the notice of everyone that the entire Censor Board and all its members were placed by the previous government. None of them have been changed. No additional member has been put in. The extension that the chairperson has been talking of has been granted to the entire Censor Board," Rathore told reporters. Rathore said the ministry had respected the Censor Board all along and has kept a distance from its decisions. "The chairperson talks about coercion, we as the government would like to see that SMS, or a letter where she or any other member has been coerced. Then we would take appropriate action," he said. Rathore added the Censor Board is an independent body and it should behave like one. Dera spokesperson Aditya Insan confirmed that MSG will release shortly. "The film has got the nod, but we will get the certificate on Friday (January 16) and won't like to release it at such short notice. That will take at least a week," said Aditya. The Censor Board had objected to the dera head's alleged portrayal of himself as god in the film which is said to be against the drug menace and other social evils. There are law and order concerns as the dera head has been a contentious figure among radical Sikhs over his manner of propagation, as manifested in clashes over the years and in recent violence over the film. The Akal Takht, Sikhism's highest temporal body, is among organisations that have sought a ban on MSG. Flag marches by the police and paramilitary forces were held on Thursday in Bathinda and surrounding areas that have a large dera following. http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/leela-samson-to-ht-the-government-has-been-meddling-with-every-big-and-small-film/article1-1307355.aspx 12 more Censor Board members resign Two days after Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chairperson Leela Samson resigned citing “interference and coercion” by the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry, another 12 members of the Board followed her suggestion of quitting “en masse” and tendered their resignations on Saturday. CBFC members including Ira Bhaskar, M.K. Raina, Pankaj Sharma, T.G. Thyagarajan, Shaji Karun, Anjum Rajabali, Shubra Gupta, Nikhil Alva, Rajeev Masand, Mamang Dai, K.C Sekhar Babu and L.K. Prabhu tendered their resignations on Saturday in a joint email to I&B Minister of State Rajyavardhan Rathore. “The events that led to the chairperson Ms. Leela Samson resigning from her position are merely the proverbial last straw...we have been asking for some critical changes, which are imperative if the functioning of the CBFC has to be reformed. However, in spite of sending numerous recommendations and appeals, and having several meetings with the Secretaries and senior officials of the Ministry, and even one with an earlier Minister, not a single positive step has been taken by the Ministry,” the joint resignation letter said. Gauging from this letter and from Ms. Samson's resignation email, board members — all of them including Ms. Samson being on an extended tenure since May last year — were unhappy with alleged interference by the I&B Ministry. However, the wave of resignations over the last two days was apparently triggered with the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal clearing Dera Saccha Sauda chief's film “Messenger of God”, which the CBFC had refused to pass. “I hope all of you will now resign en masse. We have been made a mockery of by the powers of the Min of I&B over the film ‘Messenger of God’. If we have any self dignity we would not be party to what has happened. It is shameful,” Ms. Samson had written in her email to board members on Thursday morning. http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/more-censor-board-members-resign/article6796765.ece
asterix Posted January 17, 2015 Posted January 17, 2015 CBFC members including Ira Bhaskar, M.K. Raina, Pankaj Sharma, T.G. Thyagarajan, Shaji Karun, Anjum Rajabali, Shubra Gupta, Nikhil Alva, Rajeev Masand, Mamang Dai, K.C Sekhar Babu and L.K. Prabhu tendered their resignations on Saturday in a joint email to I&B Minister of State Rajyavardhan Rathore. Pankaj Sharma is AICC office bearer... Lora K Prabhu is wife of Journalist/Reporter N Prabhu of NDTV... Rajeev Masand is linked to Rajdeep Sardesai... Ira Bhaskar if JNU affiliated... All secular and well connected people...
ravishingravi Posted January 17, 2015 Posted January 17, 2015 Just wondering. Why is Samson censor board chief ? What is her qualification for job apart from teaching bharatnatayam to priyanka gandhi.
G_B_ Posted January 17, 2015 Posted January 17, 2015 Time for RSSisation. If i was the PK director i would be seeking to say sorry.... this should have happened a long time ago
Raghav_12 Posted January 17, 2015 Posted January 17, 2015 lol.. people questioning censor board members itself when Govt should be criticized for it's interference. Day is not far when M Ch. (Plastic Surgery) would have Vedas in their curriculum.
diga Posted January 17, 2015 Posted January 17, 2015 lol.. people questioning censor board members itself when Govt should be criticized for it's interference. Day is not far when M Ch. (Plastic Surgery) would have Vedas in their curriculum. FYI she has blamed both UPA & NDA over interference But, she told NDTV today, that it was not a 'UPA vs NDA' issue. The interference has been "happening since a long time," said Ms Samson. The haste in which MSG was cleared overnight did it for her
asterix Posted January 17, 2015 Posted January 17, 2015 "Rebels Without a Cause" https://www.facebook.com/ArunJaitley/posts/325352004320021
Raghav_12 Posted January 17, 2015 Posted January 17, 2015 FYI she has blamed both UPA & NDA over interference The haste in which MSG was cleared overnight did it for her Not differentiating between NDA and UPA. My comment was on instead of looking into government role in whole thing, posters are questioning censor board team itself that is clearly bad attitude.
asterix Posted January 17, 2015 Posted January 17, 2015 Never give milk to snakes... Chewtiya Govt. Stupidly gave extension to these UPA appointees... It's these type Vajpayeesque mistakes which riles me... Why try to be goody goody to enemies?
Raghav_12 Posted January 17, 2015 Posted January 17, 2015 Never give milk to snakes... Chewtiya Govt. Stupidly gave extension to these UPA appointees... It's these type Vajpayeesque mistakes which riles me... Why try to be goody goody to enemies? that's how democracy supposed to work? Seriously..!!
asterix Posted January 17, 2015 Posted January 17, 2015 that's how democracy supposed to work? Seriously..!! What democracy? You try to be good with these people? What do you get in return? Like you are quick to blame the Govt. What proof is there that Govt. pressurized or interfered? I mean when these people and people like you are anyway going to blame the Govt then why try to be Goody Goody... Should've not given extensions to these UPA appointees...
diga Posted January 17, 2015 Posted January 17, 2015 that's how democracy supposed to work? Seriously..!! Do you remember how UPA sacked censor board in 2004? Democracy worked then
asterix Posted January 17, 2015 Posted January 17, 2015 Do you remember how UPA sacked censor board in 2004? Democracy worked then He's an AAP supporter.. When cornered he can simply blame both UPA & BJP... He doesnt needs any proof to blame, being an AAP..... The delay in replies now is because he's doing his research wok, now that hes been asked to provide some basis of allegations...
Shivaji bhonsle Posted January 17, 2015 Posted January 17, 2015 Not the most important thing in the world. I couldn't care less.
G_B_ Posted January 17, 2015 Posted January 17, 2015 i agree with asterix dada. Not only these censor board fart smelling liberal types but they need to shift out the remaining UPA governors. When UPA first came to power they did the same.
asterix Posted January 17, 2015 Posted January 17, 2015 i agree with asterix dada. Not only these censor board fart smelling liberal types but they need to shift out the remaining UPA governors. When UPA first came to power they did the same. There's another group of UPA appointed snakes in an important Agriculture Pricing Committee... Need to cleanse them out ASAP before these snakes bite back...
ravishingravi Posted January 17, 2015 Posted January 17, 2015 lol.. people questioning censor board members itself when Govt should be criticized for it's interference. Day is not far when M Ch. (Plastic Surgery) would have Vedas in their curriculum. One sec. So you are supporting Censor board which supposedly "did not clear" the film. So that is supposed to encourage freedom of expression. Maybe you don't have as much aversion to fascist asI thought.
rkt.india Posted January 17, 2015 Author Posted January 17, 2015 https://m.facebook.com/ArunJaitley/posts/325352004320021
rkt.india Posted January 17, 2015 Author Posted January 17, 2015 lol.. people questioning censor board members itself when Govt should be criticized for it's interference. Day is not far when M Ch. (Plastic Surgery) would have Vedas in their curriculum. Govt. had no interference. Film was cleared by appeal panel which was headed by a former judge.
Sachin=GOD Posted January 17, 2015 Posted January 17, 2015 On top of this the Board was allegedly being starved of funds, and had not met since early 2014. That apart, their efforts to bring our structural changes in the composition and qualification of examining committee members were also thwarted by the ministry.This, many members said, had made their role irrelevant. Bhasker says they were frustrated by the bureaucracy at every step. “We are going to resign in support of Leela Samson. But what's happening now is a culmination of a long process. There was no money for meetings. The Board didn't meet since early 2014. We wanted to bring about positive changes. To that end we had also written to UPA-government in summer of 2013. http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31813&articlexml=Citing-interference-censor-board-chief-8-members-quit-17012015001018 Seems to me that the Censor Board needs an overhaul and as much as possible, impartial people to be its members. Lets see what the Govt does.
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