Does release of biopic on Modi violate code of conduct?
The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to urgently hear a plea claiming
that a movie titled PM Narendra Modi is meant to manipulate voters in violation of the Model Code of Conduct in
place for the Lok Sabha polls of 2019. A Bench led by Justice S.A. Bobde agreed
to hear the petition filed by advocate and Congress party spokesperson, Aman
Panwar, on April 8.
Mr. Panwar said the movie was not an innocuous work of art. The petition
argues (1) Prasoon Joshi, chairman of the Central
Board of Film Certification, is listed and credited as one of the artists who
worked on the film. (2) All four producers are card-carrying official BJP
members. (3) Desperate rush to script, shoot and release
the movie in a hurried and clumsy manner was to time the film with the general
elections.
SC must ponder on this issue to protect the spirit of democracy in which
people should be given fair and free chance to decide and elect their
representatives without any undue influence and pressure. Model code of conduct
gives this silence space to voters to think and apply their mind on the
candidates.
But the film makers also have a fundamental right to release the film
under the right of free speech and expression as Mr. Vivek Oberoi, the lead
actor and one of the producers of the film and BJP supporter, tried to justify
it
Supreme Court has done right thing by admitting the petition for urgent
hearing and one could expect the neutral ruling upholding constitutional
values.
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