Censor Board Chief Resigns Over Controversial Release of Film by Tribunal

NEW DELHI: The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has lost an able chief in Leela Samson who resigned citing “interference, coercion and corruption of panel members and officers.” Samson, a Bharatanatyam danseuse and a Padma Shri award winner, put in her papers as the Censor Board chief saying this was final and not open to any discussion.

Reports, however, suggest that the proverbial last straw came from the reported intervention by the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) to clear the film MSG- The Messenger of God over and above the decision of the Censor Board not to give it a certificate. The Board had refused to clear this film featuring Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the lead role on unstated grounds that it could stoke communal tensions. The film was then referred to the Tribunal and cleared.

Samson had succeeded Sharmila Tagore as the Censor Board chief in March 2011. Her term had come to an end in April 2014 but she along with some other members were retained by the Modi government on extension.

Reports suggest that Samson and the Censor Board had come under pressure over Amir Khan’s controversial film PK. However, she had taken a stand that no scene could be cut from the movie as it had already been cleared and released. She had said at the time, "Every film may hurt religious sentiments of somebody or the other. We can't remove scenes unnecessarily because there is something called creative endeavour where people present things in their own way. We have already given certificate to PK and we can't remove anything now because it's already out for public viewing."

Earlier when asked if she was aware of media reports that the nod has been given by Film Certification Appellate Tribunal to the film’s screening, Samson had told PTI that “I hear so. Nothing in writing yet. It is a mockery of Central Board of Film Certification. My resignation is final. Have informed the (I&B) Secretary”.

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. “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.

“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 said the Censor board is an independent body and it should behave like one.