Filmmaker Sanoj Mishra has been charged with attempting to hurt religious sentiments and inciting communal tension through his upcoming movie, ‘The Diary of West Bengal’. He has been summoned by the Kolkata police to present all materials pertaining to the trailer’s content.
The Kolkata police have taken action against Mumbai-based filmmaker Sanoj Mishra by registering a first information report (FIR) against him. The charges against him include attempting to hurt religious sentiments and inciting communal tension through his upcoming movie, ‘The Diary of West Bengal’, according to officials.
Mishra has been served a legal notice by the police, requesting his presence at the Amherst Street police station on May 30 for questioning in the case. According to officials, the legal notice was dispatched via Mumbai’s Oshiwara police.
According to the filmmaker, the allegations against him are unfounded and without merit. He further claims that the police case filed against him is a deliberate effort to suppress the truth.
As per Joint Commissioner (Crime) Shankha Shubhra Chakrabarty, a case was filed on May 11 following a complaint by an anonymous citizen, as revealed by the police. On Wednesday, a notice was issued to the filmmaker.
The content was deemed objectionable by the complainant. An investigation will be conducted. According to Chakrabarty’s statement to HT, the director has been summoned to present all materials pertaining to the trailer’s content on May 30th.
In a recent development, the screening of ‘The Kerala Story’ has been banned by the Bengal government. The reason cited for the ban is that the film allegedly contains “hate speech” and “manipulated facts”, which could potentially disrupt communal harmony and law and order in the state. This decision comes weeks after the ban was imposed. The Supreme Court later lifted the ban.
The upcoming film ‘The Diary of West Bengal’ has been written and directed by Mishra, with Jitendra Narayan Singh serving as the producer. The film’s trailer was released on YouTube one month ago, and it is set to be released in theaters this August.
According to the trailer, Bengal is depicted as a safe haven for both Rohingya refugees from Myanmar and illegal infiltrators from Bangladesh. The film also features actors discussing communal riots in the state. As per reports, an individual was heard stating that the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act and National Register of Citizens would not be permitted in the state.
According to police reports, a FIR has been filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including criminal conspiracy, vilification or attack on a religion, printing or engraving defamatory content, intentional insult to break public peace, circulating material to cause communal tension, and deliberate or malicious act intended to outrage religious feelings.
The filmmaker has been booked by the police under several provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000 and Cinematograph Act, 1952.
In a recent interview with news agency ANI in Mumbai, filmmaker Mishra revealed that his upcoming movie is grounded in meticulous research and substantiated by factual occurrences. A demographic shift has resulted in a transformation of the social structure in Bengal. The occurrence can be attributed solely to the politics of appeasement. The individual in question asserts that the IPC sections being applied to them are typically reserved for criminals, despite their own lack of criminal activity. The individual expresses unwavering trust in the legal system, yet harbors apprehension regarding potential detainment by the Bengal police. He expressed concern that he might perish while in their custody.
The concerned individual has made an appeal to the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister, urging them to investigate the alleged attempts to suppress the truth. According to the individual in question, the charges are baseless. The individual in question has stated that they hold no intention of defaming any particular state. He added that he had previously worked in Bengal.
The notice served to Mishra by the police has sparked a political controversy within the state.
Since the 1980s, the BJP has been the only political party to combat illegal infiltration, according to the user. In recent news, Bengal’s border districts have experienced a significant increase of approximately 11% in voters due to a silent demographic invasion. The truth regarding Bengal’s future is a matter of great importance for the people of India, who have a right to be informed. According to Samik Bhattacharya, the chief spokesperson of the BJP in the state, the government of Mamata Banerjee is unable to respect the expression of truth due to its vengeful nature.
In a retaliatory move, Santanu Sen, a Rajya Sabha member of the Trinamool Congress, has stated that India has been ranked 162nd among 180 countries in a recent global survey regarding the populace’s freedom of expression. The opposition has accused the BJP of setting a record in suppressing their voices, leading to criticism of the BJP’s recent comments on the subject. According to sources, the state government has asserted its authority to take action in situations where communal harmony is at risk.
According to Bengali film director Subrata Sen, freedom of expression does not permit everything to be depicted in public. As per the individual’s statement, freedom is accompanied by specific obligations. According to the speaker, the right to freedom of expression does not extend to actions that incite or violate legal regulations. According to the speaker, the exercise of freedom of expression must not result in any disturbances to law and order.