Parliamentary panel hears views on draft cinematograph amendment bill, BJP MPs boycott meeting

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information and Technology (IT) on Tuesday discussed the draft Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill and heard views on its provisions.

By Ashoke Raj The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information and Technology (IT) on Tuesday discussed the draft Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill and heard views on its provisions.

Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan gave his views to the panel, which is headed by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor. BJP members of the panel boycotted the meeting stating that it had been called during the monsoon session of parliament and agenda including who will give their views before the panel became public before meeting.

Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chairman Prasoon Joshi also gave his views. "Kamal Haasan made a detailed presentation to the panel members regarding the bill and made several suggestions," a source told ANI.

Haasan had earlier opposed provisions of the draft Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2021 over it giving "revisional" powers on films already cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). He had urged people to voice concern for "freedom and liberty".

"Cinema, media and the literati cannot afford to be the three iconic monkeys of India. Seeing, hearing and speaking of impending evil is the only medication against attempts to injure and debilitate democracy," Hasaan had said in a tweet. The sources said members of the film fraternity stated that that bill has been drafted "without due consultation with them".

BJP MP Zafar Islam, a member of the committee who was part of the boycott, said the agenda of the meeting should not be made public. "As per rules, confidentiality should be maintained. The agenda became public before the meeting. It should be fixed with the consent of committee members," Islam told ANI.

The BJP MPs are likely to meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla over the matter. The agenda of the meeting included a review of the functioning of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in the context of the draft Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

Representatives of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting were also scheduled to appear before the panel. (ANI)

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