The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has come under the scanner again. The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) has complained to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh alleging that it has been clearing movies that display banned animals. The alleged culprits are films like the Karan Johar-Shah Rukh Khan-produced Kaal and Akbar Khan's multi-crore Taj Mahal.
They alleged that despite having powers to take punitive measures in such violations, the Censor Board certified the movies.
Sources in the environment ministry said the complaint was sent to the PMO recently after Taj Mahal was cleared by the board. "We had no option," said an AWBI official, adding, "We did not come to know about it directly. It is through media or other sources that we get to know about such violation."
Kaal, according to him, was a classic example where the film used a tiger, banned from showing in the silver screen."Tigers, leopards, lions, deer and monkeys are not allowed in movies. For use of any other animal, they have to get permission. Now we are fighting a legal battle with the producers of Kaal, but the film has already been screened and the damage done," he said.
Even in the case of Taj Mahal, AWBI came to know from secondary sources that the movie was using animals like camel, elephant and horses. "Despite warning them repeatedly well in advance, they went ahead and used all the animals without getting permission," R Balasubramanium, secretary, AWBI, told DNA from Chennai.
The Censor Board claims it had certified the movie for release in April itself, an argument which Balasubramanium dismisses as a lame excuse. "When this mandate was framed, we informed all concerned including the Board," he said.
The Board remains evasive on the issue. "I do not want to talk about it at the moment," said chairperson Sharmila Tagore. She added, "I have no comments about the controversy."
The Animal Welfare Board is planning protests. "We will stop the screening of Taj Mahal by all means and take legal action asking for compensation. We need to set an example," said Balasubramanium.
