Nathuram Godse film suit: Court to rule on jurisdiction soon

A Pune civil court would give a ruling on December 29 whether it had jurisdiction to hear a suit against Akhil Bhartiya Hindu Mahasabha. The suit has sought a ban on the Mahasabha's forthcoming film 'Desh Bhakt Nathuram Godse', which is slated for release this month-end.

The suit filed by activist Hemant Patil has sought a ban on the film saying that it has "potential to incite people on communal lines".
Patil said that Mahasabha general secretary Munna Kumar Sharma had said in a section of media that "the film would show that Nathuram Godse, the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi, was a patriot while Gandhi was anti-Hindu".

Civil judge MI Modak said on Friday that the court would first decide on its jurisdiction to hear the suit and asked the plaintiff to argue on this aspect.
Patil's lawyer Wajid Khan cited case laws to support his argument that the Pune court had the jurisdiction to hear the matter.

After hearing arguments, the court kept the matter for December 29 to deliver its ruling on the issue of jurisdiction to hear the suit.
According to the suit, the film was being released on the same day when Godse had gunned down Mahatma Gandhi in 1948. "As the film has the potential to incite people on communal lines", the petition has prayed for a ban on its release.

The suit's main prayer is to stop the release of the film until the producer satisfies the court that it would not in any way flare up communal issues or cause disharmony among people.