Censoring 'Udta Punjab' won't fix drug problem: Rahul Gandhi

Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said Punjab has a crippling drug problem and censoring the movie 'Udta Punjab' would not fix the menace in the state.

"Punjab has a crippling drug problem. Censoring #UdtaPunjab will not fix it. The government must accept the reality and find solutions," Gandhi said in a tweet.

Cricketer Harbhajan Singh also backed the makers of the movie and said that he wants Punjab to be a drug-free state.

"Not a movie buff but if #UdtaPunjab showing rightly whats happening in Punjab what's wrong with it then ? We want our Punjab drug free state," Singh tweeted.

#Udtapunjab known for better things like love, peace, bhaichara, culture, respect, freedom fighters, sportsmen, music, I am a proud Punjabi and Indian," he added.

The ongoing censor issue just got political as the Censor Board doesn't want the movie to be set in Punjab.

After Censor Board refused to issue a certificate to Abhishek Chaubey-directed film, the Revising Committee of Censor Board has now given even harsher suggestions to the makers in order to obtain the certificate.

The recommendations/objections of the Reviewing Committee have assumed political overtones.

It is being reported that the committee wants the film to be set in a fictional land rather than in Punjab and is demanding a lot of cuts, which is against the 'reality' of the movie.

Strangely, the Reviewing Committee is taking a view that the flick based on the growing drug addiction among the youth is defamatory to Punjab.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in Punjab had earlier objected to the movie.

Sources close to the Censor Board indicate towards political pressure being put in wake of the Punjab assembly elections expected to be held early next year.

Co-produced by Phantom Films and Balaji Motion Pictures, 'Udta Punjab' stars Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Punjabi singer- actor Diljit Dosanjh.

The film slated to release on June 17 is likely to get delayed.