Several screenings of a documentary focusing on jailed activist Umar Khalid have been cancelled in different locations due to the censor board yet to certify the film, leading to concerns about freedom of speech and the right to screen documentaries.
On Saturday, scheduled screenings for a documentary on Umar Khalid were cancelled in both Pune and Nashik after the police allegedly informed the organisers that such events would be 'illegal' as the censor board had yet to certify the film. According to reports from Scroll .in, this decision followed objections raised by the censor board.
The documentary, titled 'Prisoner No: 626710 is Present', has been a topic of controversy due to its focus on Khalid, who has been in judicial custody for six years over a conspiracy case related to the 2020 Delhi riots. The trial in the case is yet to begin.
On Sunday, The Hindu reported that a screening at the National Law School of India University in Bengaluru was also cancelled due to lack of censor board certification. This follows an objection from the censor board and the cancellation of a screening by the International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad, two days prior.
Two Mumbai residents have claimed that a private screening they had organised on September 19 was cancelled after police intimidation led to venue managers cancelling the event. The film certification body stated publicly on social media that public screenings of uncertified documentaries are a violation of the 1952 Cinematograph Act unless specific exemptions have been sought.
The organizers, Working Title Film Club and Satyashodhak Vidyarthi Sanghatna, expressed concern over the silencing of a documentary that allegedly exposes the use of legal mechanisms to suppress dissent. The Pune Police warned the organizers that they and the audience would face consequences if the screening took place.
In Nashik, the Indian People’s Theatre Association stated that on Thursday they received a phone call from the police, stating that 'screening a film without a censor certificate would constitute a non-bailable offence'. The association condemned this attempt at suppression, noting that it raises serious concerns about the space available for dissent and public dialogue.
Source:
Scroll.in
