(Image source from: Scooptimes.com)

HC Dismisses Plea To Revoke Censor Tag : Mersal Row:- While dismissing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by a lawyer seeking to revoke the censor certificate for “Mersal”, the Madras High Court said on Friday that “Freedom of expression is for all”.

Actor Vijay starrer “Mersal”, was issued a censor certificate by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), for its anti-Goods and Services Tax (GST) dialogues. “Mersal” is only a film and not real life, stated the high court.

As the movie was full of “wrong propaganda about India and fake dialogues and scenes which obviously lead to the misconception about the new taxation system of India and the Goods and Service Tax Act, 2017 to the viewers”, the petitioner argued that the censor certificate should be revoked.

“No picture shall be certified for public exhibition which will lower the moral standards of those who see it and the prevailing laws shall not be so ridiculed as to create sympathy for violation of such laws,” he had argued.

An interim stay on the screening of the movie, was sought by the petitioner. The screening of the movie was released on October 18. The decision of the court comes in wake after the producers decided to remove the scenes, on last Saturday.

The BJP opposed to the scenes. Regarding the GST in the film, it termed as “untruthful”. It wanted the dialogues on the central taxation to be deleted.

A character delivering a fiery monologue is shown in the movie. The government’s failure to provide free public healthcare despite charging a national GST of up to 28 per cent, is shown up through the character. An uproar among members of the ruling BJP was sparked, who wanted it to be deleted from the film.

SUPRAJA