Censor Board trouble: After Leela Sampson, 12 more members of Censor Board resign

Dark clouds are looming large over the Censor Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). Soon after its head Leela Samson vacated her over office over the controversial clearance granted Messenger of God citing ‘interference and coercion’ by the I&B Ministry, 12 more members of the Board tendered their resignations today. The members who quit include Ira Bhaskar, M.K. Raina, Pankaj Sharma, T.G. Thyagarajan, Shaji Karun, Anjum Rajabali, Shubra Gupta, Nikhil Alva, Rajeev Masand, Mamang Dai, K.C Sekhar Babu and L.K. Prabhu . The resignations were tendered in a joint email sent to I&B Minister of State Rajyavardhan Rathore. “The events that led to the chairperson Ms. Leela Samson resigning from her position are merely the proverbial last straw. We have been asking for some critical changes, which are imperative if the functioning of the CBFC has to be reformed. However, in spite of sending numerous recommendations and appeals, and having several meetings with the Secretaries and senior officials of the Ministry, and even one with an earlier Minister, not a single positive step has been taken by the Ministry,” the joint resignation letter said. While there has been discontent brewing in the Censor Board for quite a while now, the breaking point was the passing of MSG by Film Certification Appellate Tribunal after the film was refused clearance by CBFC. “I hope all of you will now resign en masse. We have been made a mockery of by the powers of the Min of I&B over the film Messenger of God. If we have any self dignity we would not be party to what has happened. It is shameful,” Samson had reportedly written in her email to board members on Thursday. Well, the members have followed the instructions of their erstwhile head to T. Let’s wait and see how the swiftly the government steps in to stem the rot.