They also met Broadcasting Content Complaints Council Secretary General
By TCN News,
New Delhi: Movement for civil rights delegation presided by Moulana Shahul Hameed Baqavi (National Secretary- All India Imams Council) today met Ashish Sinha Secretary General – Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC) and demanded to ban the screening of the ‘Vishwaroopam’ film on television via DTH. Sinha has promised to discuss the matter tomorrow with BCCC chief, Retd Justice AP Shah and take necessary actions.
The film ‘Vishwaroopam’ was screened to Muslim leaders in a special preview show at Chennai on January 21. The Muslim delegation was upset after seeing the film as, according to them, it portrays Muslims and Islam in bad light.
If the film is allowed to be screened in its present form, there is apprehension that general public may view any Muslim with a beard as a “terrorist” waiting for an opportunity to plant a bomb, they have argued.
A joint letter request for banning the screening of the film ‘Vishwaroopam’ (Hindi, Tamil and Telugu) was also sent to the Prime Minister of India on Monday by following persons demanding ban on this film prohibiting its release in cinema halls, on television via DTH, and order its re-examination by the censor board as there is a provision for this under the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 1983 Section 32:
Shahi Imam Dr. Mufti Mukkarram Ahmed, Dr Zafarul-Islam Khan (President, All India Muslim Majlis-e Mushawarat),Hafiz Mazoor Ali Kha (National Gen Sec, Social Democratic Party of India),Maulana Abdul Wahab Khilji (President, All India Islahi Movement), Dr Basheer Ahmed Khan(National President, Indian Union Muslim League), Moulana Usman Baig (President, All India Imams Council),Dr Taslim Rahmani (President, Muslim Political Council of India),Mohamed Anisujjaman (National President, Campus Front of India), Ansar ul Haq (State President, Popular Front of India-Delhi),Maulana Ansar Raza Gharib Nawaz foundation, Irfanullah Khan (Convener, Jamia Nagar Coordination Committee) and various other leaders of Muslim community.
A copy of the letter will also be given to Manish Tewari (Minister of State -independent charge, Ministry for Information and Broadcasting), Wajahat Habibullah (Chairperson- National commissions for minorities), Sheela Dixit( Chief Minister of Delhi) and Tejendra Khanna (Lt. Governor, Delhi).
The re-examination should end in deleting scenes promoting disharmony among Indians, defaming Muslims and the Holy Quran, the protesters demanded. A film should remain responsible and sensitive to the values and morals of society, they argued.