CHENNAI: Responding sharply to criticism from various political parties, particularly the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, over the delay in granting a censor certificate to Jana Nayagan, several BJP leaders on Thursday rejected the allegations, asserting that the Congress had no moral authority to level such charges given its record during the Emergency and its history of banning films.
Senior BJP leader and former Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan said the centre had no role in the functioning of the CBFC, a position that had already been placed before the court. She described it as “amusing” that the Congress, which had directly imposed bans on several films in the past, was now arguing that art should be kept separate from politics.
Emphasising that CBFC was only following the due process prescribed under the rules, Tamilisai said it was inappropriate to pressure the board by citing film release deadlines. BJP leader H Raja, speaking to reporters in Tiruchy, accused the Congress of having a long history of misusing institutions for political gain.