Hero of the film Marathi Tigers Amol Kolhe on Friday criticised the Karnataka government and alleged that the latter had demonstrated its intolerance to freedom of expression.
“The Karnataka government has resorted to arm-twisting methods and threatened theatre owners to ensure that the film is not screened in Belagavi, which is no less than ‘molestation of freedom of expression’,” he said.
To questions, he maintained that the film was cleared by the Censor Board consisting of a woman member from Karnataka with U Certificate and there was not even a single instance in the film that could be construed as provocative and aimed at harming linguistic harmony.
“The film is an expression of the suffering and the aspirations of a linguistic community of 40 lakh people living in boundary areas and not a judgment on their plight; we have used freedom of expression to reciprocate the conditions of a section of people suffering for a long period through the film and there is absolutely no intention to harm linguistic harmony,” Dr. Kolhe said.
On the Yellur incident figuring in the film, Dr. Kolhe maintained that that was symbolic and there was no direct reference to it. But, the fact was that a large number of people (Marathi-speaking) living in the boundary areas between Karnataka and Maharashtra have been victims of excesses in various forms and ways. How long should this be allowed to go on? he asked.
