| Publication |
2009.
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| Summary/Abstract |
Certainly not all films in Southasia have slipped under the censor's nose, a fact that only strengthens critics' concerns. After the 2002 Gujarat carnage, filmmaker Rakesh Sharma arrived in Gujarat and started talking to victims and eyewitnesses of the violence that followed the train burning incident in Godhra. For over a year, he interviewed people from both the Hindu and Muslim communities about the events. The result was his 2003 documentary Final Solution, a graphic portrayal of hate politics investigating the aftermath of the anti-Muslim carnage. The film also criticised Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for not doing anything to stop the violence, accusing him of inciting communal hatred. When the feature-length documentary was ready for exhibition, India's Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) banned it. According to the body, the film would promote communal disharmony among Hindus and Muslims, by presenting the violence in Gujarat in a manner likely to arouse clashes. "State security is jeopardised and public order is endangered if this film is shown," said the CBFC, refusing to certify the work under India's Cinematography Act of 1952. "When it is judged in its entirety from the point of view of its overall impact, it is not advisable to be exhibited."
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