Rap on the knuckles

Supreme Court makes a valid point on Padmawati

For the third time in as many weeks the Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition (this time by an apex court advocate) to restrain director Sanjay Leela Bhansali and the producers of the Hindi film Padmawati from releasing it, but this time with comments from the Bench that ought to give various Chief Ministers who have taken it upon themselves to discharge the functions of the Central Board of Film Certification pause for thought. Taking strong exception to the "misconceived" plea, which also asked for cases to be registered against Bhansali under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra held: "When the matter is pending the consideration of the CBFC, how can persons holding public offices comment on whether CBFC should issue a certificate or not? That will prejudice the decision of the CBFC." The Bench added the film would not be released overseas till CBFC certification. .

It is important for even those believe that political issues cannot be solved by the courts, to which sentiment we lend our voice, to take on board what the apex court has said to prevent a situation of anarchic rule by the mob in India. Any responsible person without a political-ideological axe to grind would necessarily understand the sentiment of millions of Indians including particularly those belonging to the Rajput community around Rani Padmini and her life story of courage and sacrifice. Indeed, the point has been made repeatedly, including in these columns, that she is seen as goddess by many. Protestors too have a democratic right to vent their apprehensions, albeit as the Vice President of India stated, without resorting to threats of physical harm and offering bounties which is condemnable and entirely unacceptable. Yet, when Chief Ministers of States with a sizeable Rajput community announce they will not allow the screening of the film while others such as the Chief Minister of West Bengal makes a statement welcoming Bhansali and company to release the film in the State governed by her, they are all undermining the very authority established precisely to judge whether — and with what certification — a film may be released for public viewing.

The strangest aspect of the whole brouhaha, however, is that neither those protesting against the film nor those promoting it have seen it because the CBFC has not yet decided on it. The heavens won't fall if all sides can call a truce till the competent authority clears the film. Let the CBFC do its job.