The Tamil Nadu government told the Supreme Court that the makers of ‘The Kerala Story’ have made a false statement that the state has brought shadow ban on screening of the film.
The government elaborated that the petitioners (makers of Kerala Story) have made deliberate misleading statements (i) that the State has brought about a “shadow or implicit ban” on the screening of the film by halting screening in theatres;
(ii) not permitting full release of the film
(iii) informally signaling the theatre owners that State will not support in case of any untoward incident
MISLEADING STATEMENTS BY FILMMAKERS MUST BE DISMISSED: TN GOVT TO SC
The Tamil Nadu government said that these deliberate false and misleading statements have been made with a clear view to seek undue benefit of extraordinary jurisdiction under Article 32 of this Hon’ble Court. Even on this count, this petition deserves to be dismissed as the petitioner has not approached this Hon’ble Court with clean hands, it said.
ADEQUATE SECURITY GIVEN TO CINEMAS THAT SCREENED FILM: TN GOVT TO SUPREME COURT
Furthermore, on May 5, the Director General of Police / Head of the Police Force (Tamil Nadu) issued instructions to all the Commissioners of Police and District Superintendents of Police in the State to provide adequate security and protection to every cinema hall that had screened the film.
The state government claimed to have made adequate arrangements for security to facilitate the screening of the film, and to ensure that the theatre owners, viewers and the audience are not endangered. Over 965 police personnel, including 25 DSPs, were posted for the protection of the 21 movie theatres which had screened the film.
AGITATIONS & PICKETING HAPPENED AT 19 PLACES BY OUTFITS OF A MINORITY GROUP, 7 CASES REGISTERED: TN GOVT TO SC
The government told the top court that the demonstrations, agitations and picketing were staged in 19 places by various Muslim organizations. On May 6, demonstrations were held at seven places in Chennai and Coimbatore. A total of nine cases, five in Chennai and four cases in Coimbatore were registered against the protesters.
FILM REMOVED FROM MULTIPLEXES DUE TO POOR RESPONSE: TN GOVT TO SC
In its petition to the apex court, the government submitted that the adequate police protection provided by the state allowed and facilitated the theatre owners to screen the film throughout the state on May 5 and 6 despite backlash from certain Muslim organisations. However, owing to the lack of reception from the general public, theatre and multiplex owners of the state decided to stop exhibiting the film from May 7.
It is respectfully submitted that amidst/despite objections and protests against its release from a few Muslim organizations, the film was released in 19 multiplexes throughout the state of Tamil Nadu on May 5.
In view of the inputs received from reliable sources, the state intelligence on April 26 and May 3, issued alerts to the Superintendents of Police in the districts and Commissioners of Police in the cities for keeping a close vigil on the law and order situation in the state, and ensuring maintenance of the same in the wake of the scheduled release of the film, the government said.
This was done to facilitate and ensure smooth release and public exhibition of the film, and prevent any potential harm to the owners of theatres and multiplexes, and their properties.
The government told the court that the Film was heavily criticized after its release, with some Muslim organizations alleging that the film spreads “anti-Muslim hate” and “Islamophobia” among the common public, and has been produced solely with the intent to polarize other religions against Muslims.
PETITIONERS MADE FALSE ALLEGATIONS WITH MOTIVATED INTENTIONS TO SEEK PUBLICITY: TN GOVT TO SC
It is submitted that motivated by malafide intentions and in an attempt to seek publicity, the Petitioners have made false and sweeping allegations against the Respondent No.4 (TN Govt), despite the fact that the State of Tamil Nadu is discharging its positive obligation to create and maintain conditions in which the Film can be screened, the government told the Supreme Court.
It further said that the exhibitors have themselves stopped the screening of the movie due to the poor audience response and the government cannot do anything to increase the audience patronage for the said film, except to provide security to the cinema theatres.
Comments
0 comment