MUMBAI: Buckling under pressure and amid fears of fresh backlash from Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), the Congress party-led Democratic Front government in Maharashtra yesterday banned director-actor Kamaal Khan’s Bhojpuri language film Deshdrohi (traitor) based on the recent attacks on the north Indian migrants in Mumbai and Maharashtra, which was set to be originally released on Nov. 7 but was deferred till Nov. 14.
Speaking to journalists after a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, state Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said that the release of the film would have worsened the law and order situation in the state.
Deshmukh said that the government’s motive to ban the film should not be viewed as “moral policing” but the idea was to ask Kamaal Khan to remove the controversial scenes.
The police had demanded a special screening of the film prior to allow its release. Top police officials including Additional Directors General of Police K. Shivanandan, Javed Ahmed and Special Inspector General of Police K.L. Prasad along with several other senior police officials watched the movie two days ago.
After viewing it, the police officers submitted a report to the state government stating that the film had some provocative dialogues and scenes which could worsen law and order situation in the wake of MNS attacks on north Indians.
