The National Commission for Scheduled Castes has said it has forwarded to the Censor Board “some objectionable” dialogues from the Amitabh Bachchan-Saif Ali Khan starrer ‘Aarakshan’, asking it to take a call on their inclusion.

“We have seen the film. Some dialogues are objectionable. We have forwarded the same to Censor Board. Now it is for the Censor Board to decide,” NCSC Chairman P L Punia told reporters in New Delhi on Thursday.

He said the Commission has no further role in this regard. Objecting to the “derogatory way” the backward community has been represented in Prakash Jha’s ‘Aarakshan’, the NCSC asked the Censor Board to make necessary changes in the film before its release on Friday.

The decision was taken by the NCSC following a special screening of the film on Wednesday.

A nine-member team of the Censor Board had given a U/A certificate to the film without any cuts.

Mayawati govt bans Aarakshan for 2 months in UP

The Mayawati govt has banned the release of Prakash Jha’s controversial Hindi film ‘Aarakshan'(Reservation) in Uttar Pradesh for two months on the grounds it would create law and order problem in the state.

A decision to ban the film which is due to hit the screens on Friday was taken following a recommendation by a high level official committee set up by the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) government.

The committee comprising Principal secretaries of Finance, Information, Higher Education and Rural Development departments and an official of Entertainment tax committee had watched the Amitabh Bachchan-Saif Ali Khan starrer and submitted their report to the state government on Wednesday evening.

Hours before the UP government imposed the ban, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes asked the Censor Board to make necessary changes in the film before its release, objecting to the “derogatory way” the backward community has been featured in it.

The move by the Commission came after its members watched a special screening in Delhi on Wednesday.

“The main theme of the movie is about commercialisation of education followed by several objectionable dialogues against people from backward communities. There is no discussion on reservation in its second half. We have asked the Censor Board to make necessary changes in it,” NCSC Chairman P L Punia said on Wednesday.

After watching the movie, the official committee felt that its screening would create law and order problem in UP due to alleged objectionable dialogue in the film.

“The State exercising its power under the Clause 6 (1)of state films regulation act has banned screening of the film for two months,” a senior official said.

The committee was of the view that the film’s dialogues could create hatred in the society. Also, the highly charged dialogues of the characters in the film could create an adverse reaction in the society.

In New Delhi, Punia said the film needs some major revisions and its release should be deferred keeping in mind the sensibilities of the backward communities in the country, Punia said.

“The makers of this movie have made a mockery of the judgements passed by courts and decisions taken by government by using objectionable dialogues such as ‘Aarakshan hamara janamsiddh khairat hai and 50 per cent mein kya hoga, ab 100 per cent quota le jao’,” Punia said.

Asked if the movie is released without recommended cuts, he said, “We have requested them to make the cuts, our job ends here.We are not going to fight. Being a Constitutional body it was our responsibility and under Article 338, it comes in our purview.”

A nine-member team of the Censor Board had given a U/A certificate to the film without any cuts.

Senior Maharashtra minister and OBC leader Chaggan Bhujbal also voiced objections to certain scenes and dialogues in the film.

“Some scenes and dialogues in the film are objectionable and the film can be released after deleting them,” Bhujbal said after a special screening of the film was arranged by Jha in Mumbai.

Screening of Aarakshan banned in Punjab

After UP, the Punjab government has also imposed a ban on the release of Prakash Jha’s controversial Hindi film Aarakshan'(Reservation) in the state following apprehensions that some scenes and dialogues may trigger trouble.

The Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP government said the ban will remain in force till screening committee constituted by the state previews the movie and submits its report.

The decision to ban the Amitabh Bachchan-Saif Ali Khan starrer was taken after receiving intelligence reports that ‘Aarakhshan’ has certain scenes/dialogues which may inflame the passion of some communities in Punjab, an official spokesman said on Thursday.

On Wednesday, the Mayawati government had banned the film in UP for two months on the grounds that it could create law and order problem in the state.

The decision to ban the film which is due to hit the screens on Friday was taken following a recommendation by a high level official committee set up by the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) government.

“The main theme of the movie is about commercialisation of education followed by several objectionable dialogues against people from backward communities. There is no discussion on reservation in its second half. We have asked the Censor Board to make necessary changes in it,” National Commission for Scheduled Castes Chairman P L Punia said.