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Now a row erupts over ‘The Diary of West Bengal’ film, BJP claims ‘lived experience of many’
The BJP accused Mamata Banerjee's government of suppressing free speech by intimidating the director and producer of 'The Diary of West Bengal'.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday accused the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal administration of muzzling freedom of speech and expression by “intimidating” the director and producer of a controversial film targeting the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo. Sharing a clip of the trailer of the film titled ‘The Diary of West Bengal,’ BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya said that “nothing in the trailer appears factually incorrect.”
The police issued a notice to director Sanoj Mishra under Section 41A of the CrPC for questioning on May 30 at Amherst Street police statement in West Bengal, alleging that he is trying to defame the state with this film. An FIR has been registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), IT Act, and Cinematography Act.
“After a failed attempt to ban The Kerala Story (the film is still not in theatres because owners are being threatened with punitive action, if they do), Mamata Banerjee’s administration is now intimidating the director and producer of The Diary of West Bengal, a movie based on true events, on the prevailing condition in the State,” Amit Malviya said in a tweet.
Calling the claims made in the trailer a “lived experience of many” in West Bengal, Malviya further said, “Mamata Banerjee should stop muzzling freedom of speech and expression. She runs a vile decrepit Govt and it is a matter of time that people of Bengal will reduce her regime to dust.”
In the trailer of the film, claimed to be based on true events, the narrator alleges that Bengal has become the “second Kashmir” for “unorganised Hindus”. A character claims that “Mamata's love for Rohingya Muslims” is forcing Hindus to leave their home. The trailer also alleges that the appeasement politics in the state has resulted in restrictions on Hindu festivals.
Responding to allegations of attempting to defame the state, Mishra said, “My intention is not to malign the image of the state. We have shown only facts in the film which are well-researched.”
Mishra said the shooting of the film is not complete and they are likely to submit it to the Central Board of Film Certification next month.
The film has been written and produced by Jitendra Narayan Singh Tyagi, formerly Waseem Rizwi, the ex-chairman of the Shia Waqf Board in Uttar Pradesh who converted to Hinduism in December 2021.
