Bengal Files matter goes to Calcutta HC; Hindu outfit stage protest on road

The controversy surrounding the film 'The Bengal Files' has escalated, with a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in the Calcutta High Court demanding that the Vivek Agnihotri-directed movie be shown in all cinemas across West Bengal. The PIL, filed by a Nadia resident named Sayan Kangsabanik, argues that it is a fundamental right of a citizen to watch a film that has been cleared by the Censor Board, and no one should be deprived of it. This legal move comes amid ongoing protests and what is being described as an "unofficial ban" on the film's release in the state.

The petitioner's lawyer, Soumendu Mukherjee, and Nikunj Barlia, have urged the court to intervene and ensure the film's smooth release. They claim that preventing the film's screening is a violation of the law and an obstruction to the art industry. The PIL emphasizes that the film is being screened without any hindrance in other parts of the country, making the situation in West Bengal an anomaly.

This is not the first time the film has faced legal challenges. Earlier this month, a petition filed by the grandson of 'Gopal Pantha' (Gopal Mukhopadhyay), a key character portrayed in the film, was dismissed by the High Court. The grandson had alleged that the film distorts the history of the 1946 'Greater Calcutta Killing' and portrays his grandfather as 'Kashai (butcher) Gopal Pantha,' a derogatory term.

Justice Amrita Sinha, however, had clearly stated that such an application did not fall under the court's jurisdiction and consequently rejected the plea. This earlier ruling, while unrelated to the new PIL, provides a backdrop to the ongoing legal and political battles surrounding the film's release.

Meanwhile, the controversy has moved from legal corridors to the streets. Members of the Sanatan Sanskruti Seva Trust staged a protest outside a North Kolkata theatre, demanding that the "unofficial ban" on 'The Bengal Files' be lifted immediately. The protesters voiced their anger against what they perceive as a deliberate attempt to suppress the film's release and prevent the public from watching it.