NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Friday directed the Centre to decide a representation to withhold the release of a movie ‘The Conversion’, based purportedly on the ‘dilemma of religious conversions’ surrounding inter-religion marriages.
A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh, while dealing with a PIL by All India Practicing Lawyers Council, said the government has the power to consider the grievances raised by the petitioner and take necessary action.
"We direct the respondent authority concerned to decide the representation of the petitioner dated August 31 in accordance with laws, regulations, government policy applicable to the case, on the basis of the evidence on record as expeditiously as possible and keeping in view the allegation that the movie is going to be released on October 8 on platforms," the court said.
The court observed that the petitioner was yet to watch the entire movie and has approached it on the basis of the trailer which was stated to contain provocative content.
“Provocation depends on mental status of a person. We can’t issue notice on your provocation,” said the bench.
Counsel representing the petitioner contended that the trailer depicted bias and communal content against a particular religion. In its petition filed through lawyer Adil Sharfuddin, the petitioner submitted that the trailer, indicated that it has the ‘potential of communal polarization ahead of the UP election’.