INDIA, August 12, 2011 (BBC): Based on fears of law-and-order problems, a new movie addressing the controversial issue of education quotas for low-caste people has been banned–at least temporarily–in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Andhra, despite being passed by India’s Censor Board.
Critics say the film Aarakshan (Reservation) uses objectionable terms to describe low-caste Hindus. In addition, some Dalit groups have objected to the casting of actor Saif Ali Khan, a Muslim royal, as a low-caste Hindu.
Director Prakash Jha, who is known for making films on controversial social issues, defends his film: “In India there are people who benefit from this policy [of quotas] and there are those who have missed an opportunity because of the policy. It is almost an India-versus-India situation; and by showing this in my movie, I am trying to bridge the gap.”
Acting legend Amritabh Bachchan, who stars in the movie, also questions the ban. “Without any knowledge of what the film contains, without any desire to determine the trust and the most basic principles of law of democracy, it has merely strengthened my and many others’ fear of the weakness it conveys of our belief in governance and its ethics,” he wrote.
Under the quota system, seats in colleges and government jobs are reserved for socially disadvantaged groups. Backers say it helps open doors into highly-rated educational institutions to people who have long been denied access, providing equal opportunities to the poorest and most marginalized in India. But critics of the system say reservation promotes mediocrity and divides people on the basis of caste or region.
For additional details on the bans, see Source above.