Centre asks Tamil Nadu govt to reconsider ban on 'Vishwaroopam'

The Centre today asked Tamil Nadu government to reconsider its decision to ban the screening of Kamal Haasan's film Vishwaroopam saying the Supreme Court had in a verdict held that the censor board's view on such matters was binding on all.

"The Supreme Court of India in Prakash Jha's matter had the occasion of considering the various provisions of the Cinematograph Act and juxtaposing them against the law and order powers which the state government has under the Constitution," Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said here.

"And the Supreme Court was very categorical that Article 246, seventh schedule, list one, entry sixty gives the central government the powers to certify films for exhibition and once the Central Board for Film Certification has taken a particular view, it binds all the other instrumentalities of the state," he added.

Tewari asked Tamil Nadu government to study the earlier verdict of the apex court before it acted in the matter.

"I suggest that Tamil Nadu government peruse that judgement of the Supreme Court in Prakash Jha's case before coming to any conclusion which may fall foul of the very clear directive which the court has given," Tewari added.

Tamil Nadu government had yesterday banned the screening of the big-budget Kamal Haasan film following protests by some muslim organisations against alleged depiction of their community in a negative light.