Bjp Demands Ban On Serial

Worried at the adverse publicity over telecast of the tele-film Ram Ke Naam (In the name of Rama) on the Doordarshan recently, the BJP yesterday demanded the government to ban further screening of the film. The party also criticised the court order for screening of the film by Doordarshan and announced its intention to challenge the order in the Apex court.

Party vice-president KL Sharma said the court should not have taken this decision. Courts should also think on implications before deciding on such issues. Then film would hurt the religious sentiments of a particular community and the government would be responsible in case of repercussions if the film was not banned, he said.

Sharma said the issue figured prominently at the partys parliamentary party meeting yesterday. Although he admitted he had not watched the film, he said the film presented distorted facts. Parliamentary party members, particularly Jagmohan, said he had watched the movie and I have no reason to disbelieve him. The film had depicted Advanis rath yatra in 1990 being followed by corpses, Sharma said. However, he pointed out that not a single riot case was reported during Advanis rath yatra.

Prem goes underground

The BJP yesterday stepped up efforts to track down its Lok Sabha member BL Sharma Prem, who resigned from the house on Monday, and declared that it would persuade Prem to withdraw his resignation. Till late in the evening Prem was untraceable as he went underground.

The party has informally told Speaker PA Sangma to give the BJP some time to enable it to talk to Sharma on the issue.

BJP leaders KL Sharma, Om Prakash Kohli and Vijay Kumar Malhotra have been trying to contact Prem through his associates. Meanwhile, some local BJP members have started indefinite hunger strike in front of his residence to pressurise him not to press for the resignation.

Vote of thanks

The BJP yesterday described Prime Minister Deve Gowdas reply in the Lok Sabha to discussions on the vote of thanks of the Presidents address as unconvincing and unending. We are disillusioned with his reply as he has ignored all the big issues raised during the discussion, BJP vice-president KL Sharma said.

The Prime Minister did not explain the governments position on unemployment increase and price rise, he said.

It appeared as if Gowda was giving reply on a discussion on the Union budget rather than the vote of thanks on the Presidents address, he added.