Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram   

Ban on Patwardhan's film evokes protest

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM JULY 2. The ban on Anand Patwardhan's controversial political documentary on the Rama Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid imbroglio has evoked widespread protest among film lovers and social activists in the city.

The documentary titled, "Ram Ke Nam Per'', translated as "In the Name of Ram'' was banned from being screened at Malappuram by the district authorities under Section 22 of the Kerala Police Act on June 11 for a period of 15 days.

The ban was further extended on June 26 by the district authorities who felt that the screening of the documentary would upset the fragile peace in the communally-sensitive district.

The documentary, which won the 1990 national award and several international accolades, was telecast by the Doordarshan during the same period. The Malappuram Collector's order reportedly states that the local BJP, the RSS and the Hindu Jagranvedi supporters had raised strong protest against the screening of the documentary and any exhibition could result in a breach of communal peace in the locality.

However, several social activists and writers in the city have not taken the Malappuram district Collector's decision at face value. The Confederation of Human Rights Organisation (CHRO) has unleashed a campaign against the ban on the documentary.

In a CHRO statement undersigned by several leading personalities, including noted writer, Zachariah, N. A. Kareem, Maitreya (social activist), Pazhavila Ramesan and B. R. P. Bhaskar, the organisation accused the Malappuram district authority of bowing to the dictate of "criminals''.

"The action was highly deplorable and astonishingly arbitrary as it infringes on the basic tenets of freedom of speech and expression, right to information and rule of law,'' it said.

The Federation of Film Societies of India has also joined cause with the CHRO.

The documentary, filmed by Anand Patwardhan in 1990 prior to the destruction of the Babri Masjid by Hindutva forces in December 1992, critically examines the grim realities that would ultimately lead to the drastic action of right wing forces in Ayodhya.

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