E-Paper
SC nod for screening of 'Deshdrohi' in Maharashtra
Controversial Hindi film 'Deshdrohi,' which is based on the recent attacks on north Indians in Maharashtra, will be released today in the state with the SC rejecting a government plea to stay the movie's screening.
Controversial Hindi film 'Deshdrohi,' which is based on the recent attacks on north Indians in Maharashtra, will be released on Friday in the state with the Supreme Court rejecting a government plea to stay the movie's screening.
A bench of Justices S B Sinha and M K Sharma found no merit in the plea of Solicitor General G E Vahanvati that if the film was screened it would create a law and order problem in the state.
Maharashtra government had yesterday approached the Supreme Court against a decision of the Bombay High Court which allowed the screening of the film on the ground that the state's ban on the release of the film were based on "extraneous grounds."
The state government had also taken that stand that in view of the ensuing elections there was a possibility of violence between Maharashtrians and non-Maharashtrians.
The apex court bench had agreed to give an urgent hearing today to the petition seeking curbs on the film's screening.
The High Court on January 9 had set aside the state government's two orders on suspending screening of the film directed and produced by Kamal R Khan.
The film was banned in Maharashtra on November 12 last year but was released in the rest of the country. The state did not change its stand even after the High Court asked it to review the decision.
