Author: DH News Service
Publication: Deccan Herald
Date: May 30, 2003
URL: http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/may30/n1.asp
The first Garwhali-Kumaoni feature
film on the horrific 1994 Muzzafar Nagar massacre which is set for release
in Uttaranchal tomorrow has created a controversy with the Samajwadi Party
(SP) taking exception to its contents. The film allegedly shows SP leader
Mulayam Singh Yadav in bad light.
Mr Anuj Joshi's "Teri Saun" costing
Rs 65 lakh is a love story, which is made in the backdrop of the Muzzafar
Nagar massacre that left several Uttarakhandi agitationists dead and women
raped when Mr Yadav was the chief minister of the undivided Uttar Pradesh.
While the movie, originally made in Garhwali dialect, would be released
in theatres of Dehra Dun and Rishikesh tomorrow, its Kumaoni-dubbed version
would be released later.
"This is a true love story which
depicts the blood-letting during the agitationists' march to New Delhi
in Oct 1994," Mr Joshi, producer-director of the movie, told "Deccan Herald."
The SP has criticised the film as
"an attempt by the Sangh Parivar to show Mulayam Singh Yadav in bad light."
Mr Vinod Barthwal, the party's National Secretary today met Chief Minister
N D Tiwari and protested against the state government's move to waive entertainment
tax on the film.
But the government is in a dilemma
over the issue of entertainment tax amid fresh attempts by Mr Yadav to
get close to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. "It (question of entertainment
tax) all depends on new political equations," said a top government official.
However, the BJP has supported Mr
Joshi's demand to waive the entertainment tax saying it was the first film,
which was made on the sacrifices made by the Uttarakhandi agitationists.
Mr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Uttaranchal BJP spokesman, denied SP's allegations
saying there was no BJP connection whatsoever with the movie.
