Delhi: In yet another challenge to the controversial Ayushman Khuranna-starrer ‘Article 15’ movie, the Brahman Samaj of India (BSOI) had approached the Supreme Court (SC) on June 27 pleading for an urgent hearing to put a stay on the release of the film. However, the vacation bench headed by Justice Sanjiv Khanna refused to hear the matter on an urgent basis and the film eventually released on its original date on June 28.
As reported in the ANI, the BSOI, through its National Organising Secretary, Nemi Nath Chaturvedi, filed a writ petition (civil) in the SC on Thursday to stop the release of the film and mentioned the matter for an urgent hearing. In its petition, BSOI contended that the film, based on the horrific 2014 Badaun rape case, has various objectionable dialogues, spreads rumours and caste hatred in the society based on a “false and concoted story.” The petitioner further argued that the film violates the true spirit of Article 15 and 19(1) of the Constitution of India. It also stated that naming a film on an Article of the Constitution without the approval of the government, for personal or commercial gain, is illegal and violative of section 3 of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950.
The petitioner further pleaded that the certificate issued by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) granted to Benaras Media Works Pvt Ltd should be cancelled and the release should be stayed as it will lead to “public disorder, incitement to offence, among different castes against each other,”
In a huge relief, the SC refused to hear the matter on an urgent basis and didn’t even give another date for hearing.
The BSOI has been protesting against the film release since past 15 days and its members have been visiting various theatres to stop the screening midway. “We the members of Akhil Bhartiya Brahmin Samaj are protesting against this film ‘Article 15’ from last 15 days. The director of the film says a movie is made to showcase malpractices of the society, which is true, but such movies should be made on true incidents. This film is made on the claims that it is based on Badaun gang-rape incident but the truth is none of the members of the Brahmin community was involved in that incident. In this film the makers have portrayed our community as the cruel and aggressive group who oppresses the Dalit community, because of which Brahmin Samaj is displeased,” said one of the members of the Akhil Bhartiya Brahmin Samaj.
In Nagpur, the Brahmin community protested outside a movie theatre by hitting posters of the films with footwear. “The film is showcasing Brahmin community as mean and rapists and that’s why we are revolting against it. Even after this, if the movie is released, Brahmin communities from around the country will lodge FIR against Anubhav Sinha,” said Manish Anand Trivedi, member of Brahmin Sena, Bhopal.
On Thursday, during the special screening of the film, actor Ayushmann Khurrana had said, “Today Anubhav Sir (Anubhav Sinha, director) has issued a statement in which he has cleared that the movie is not against any community.”
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