Mudslinging's hit National Awards hard -- Sushma

Mudslinging's hit National Awards hard -- Sushma
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

BHUBANESWAR, APRIL 3: Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Sushma Swaraj has said that the ongoing controversy over selection of the jury and the National Film Awards has caused ‘‘irreparable damage’’ to the prestigious institution.

Swaraj, who is here on a two-day tour of the state, told mediapersons that allegations against the jury and selection of awardees are ‘‘politically motivated and a malicious propoganda’’. She pointed out how there had been no ruckus in the past when a Congress MP headed the jury. The presence of just one BJP leader as an ordinary member this time has led to a flurry of accusations, she said.

Refuting the allegation that a ‘‘saffronised’’ jury was toeing the Hindutva line, she said only three of the 16-member jury walked out while the rest had no complaints.

Swaraj said all jury members were selected for excelling in various fields. She denied that three members of the jury were nominated because of their allegiance to the BJP. Pradip Kishen, husband of writer Arundhati Roy and one of the members who quit the jury, could manage to muster the support of only two others, she said.

Denying that she was pushing the saffron agenda, the Union Minister said Tarun Vijay, editor of RSS mouth piece Panchajanya, is an accredited film critic who before taking over his current assignment was writing on films.

Justifying the inclusion of Madhumita Rout, Swaraj said the Odissi dancer was not chosen because she taught her daughter. If that were the case, she would not have quit the jury. If Shashiranjan was nominated for his friendship with filmstar and Rajya Sabha member Shatrughan Sinha, he would not have voted against Pandavas, which was selected for an award in the animation category, she said.

Replying to a question on film director Goutam Ghosh and Bengali actor Soumitra Chatterjee turning down their awards, Swaraj countered: ‘‘I was fair when I appointed Goutam Ghose as chairman of the Satyajit Ray Film Institute in 1998, but not this time.’’

She said that the government was seriously contemplating replacing the Press Council by a new body. It will be called the Media Council and will regulate the electronic media, Internet, cable news and news portals. The proposed body will be more powerful that the Press Council and, if possible, a bill will be introduced in the current session of the Parliament.