Students Damage CBFC Office for Not Clearing Telugu FiIm on Caste

Six students from Osmania University damaged furniture and raised slogans.

Students damaged furniture, as the CBFC board had not cleared Telugu film Sharanam Gachchami. (Photo Courtesy: ANI)

The regional office of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) at Hyderabad was vandalised on Tuesday, by six students from Osmania University.

The Gandhi Nagar police have reportedly registered criminal cases against six OU students, who entered the office on Tuesday afternoon, and damaged furniture, as the board had not cleared Telugu film Sharanam Gachchami.

“Based on a complaint lodged by the CBFC office representative Pradeep Thakur, we have registered a case against the accused under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property (PDP) Act and Sections 448, 427 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code," Gandhi Nagar sub-inspector (SI) Gopi Kiran Reddy told the Times of India.

According to reports, the film deals with several issues related to caste, and caste-based reservations, while also highlighting various atrocities committed in the name of caste.

Directed by Enumula Prem Raj, the film was sent to the CBFC office in January, but was rejected after it allegedly showed upper-castes in a bad light.

Writing for Deccan Chronicle, U Sudhakar Reddy quotes CBFC’s regional director P Rajasekhar as claiming that four Examining Committee members had watched Sharanam Gachchami and had unanimously refused to certify as it was "likely to incite hatred and disturb public peace".

Speaking to DC, CBFC Central Board member Jeevita Rajasekhar said, “They have an option of review committee and Tribunal. In fact, I was ready to watch the film on Saturday or Monday, but they have sought time till 27 February. In fact, after I took over, the RC cleared six movies with cuts after they were refused certificate by the EC. Sensitivities differ from state to state. But the CBFC has same rules in all states...There should be separate censor guidelines for each region. The Shyam Benegal Committee recommendations have not been implemented yet.”

This article was originally published on The News Minute.