Shortly after the regional office of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in Thiruvananthapuram denied certification to to a documentary that allegedly glorifies the role of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in fighting the Emergency, Regional Officer A. Prathibha has been removed from that position.
Ms. Prathibha told The Hindu that the order was arbitrary and that she had legally challenged it.
"I took charge as the censor officer here in 2014. My term extends up to the fag end of 2019. This order, removing me from the position, is arbitrary. No reasons have been cited. I have already moved legally against this. Four other regional officers were removed like this. Two of them have already secured stay orders against it," she said.
The documentary, "21 Months of Hell", explores the torture methods used by the police during the Emergency and looks at the RSS workers who participated in the struggle against the Emergency.
According to Ms. Prathibha, it is unfair to hold the censor officer responsible for decisions regarding certification.
"I am not sure if this decision is connected to decisions regarding the certification of a particular movie. It is anyway unfair to hold the censor officer responsible. Decisions on certifications are made by the censor board members, while the officer signs on their decision," she said.
