[Marxistindia] Withdraw Retrograde Amendments to Cinematography Act

[news from the cpi(m)]

July 1, 2021

Press Statement

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued  
the following statement:

Withdraw Retrograde Amendments to Cinematography Act

The proposed amendments to the Cinematography Act by the Modi  
Government is an all-out assault on the creative talents of film  
makers and the constitutional right of freedom of expression. The  
Central Government wants to add a provision to give it the right to  
“revisionary powers” on account of violation of Section 5B (1)  
(principles for guidance in certifying films) of the Act. This is  
tantamount to withdraw films already certified and closed. Recently we  
have seen the right-wing forces led by the Hindutva brigade and  
casteist groups indulging in mob censorship of films not to their  
liking. Now the Government itself wants the powers to stop films  
critical of its ideology. As it is the autonomous powers of the Film  
Censor Board have been subverted in various ways by the I & B  
Ministry. In April the Appellant body to which film makers could  
appeal against cuts by the Censor Board to their films was arbitrarily  
dissolved by the Ministry.

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) strongly opposes these atrocious  
amendments designed to throttle cinematic talent and freedom. It  
demands the restoration of the Appellate Tribunal as demanded by noted  
film makers. It supports the struggle of those in the film industry  
who have courageously raised their voice against this assault on  
democracy and freedom of expression.


For CPI(M) Central Committee Office