Petition seeks ban on ‘Adipurush’ screening

Chandigarh, June 26

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today fixed July 4 for hearing a petition filed in public interest, seeking directions for stopping the screening of controversial movie `Adipurush’ in all cinema halls and theatres.

In the petition placed before the vacation Bench of Justice Anil Kshetarpal and Justice Deepak Manchanda, Mahant Ravi Kant contended that there have been movies and TV serial made on the Ramayana since long. But none of them have “projected the deities mouthing foul languages and none of the movie or TV serial held the deities in low esteem”.

Referring to “beautiful TV serial Ramayan, produced and directed by Ramanand Sagar”, the petitioner said no one could forget the time when the entire nation stopped working and remained glued to the television sets. Even today, the actors were respected. They went to the extent of being vegans during the entire period of shooting and screening.

“However, in the movie ‘Adipurush’, the deities are shown mouthing foul dialogues,” the petitioner submitted. In an attempt to buttress his contentions, a pen drive “showing the foul language and the deities being shown in a bad taste” was attached.

He added the freedom of speech and of the Press did not confer an absolute right to express one’s thoughts freely. Clause (2) of Article 19 of the Constitution enabled the legislature to impose certain restrictions on free speech.