MNS demands Prasoon Joshi's resignation from Censor board over Modi biopic

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on Saturday demanded the resignation of Prasoon Joshi from the post of the chairman of Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for allegedly giving preferential treatment to the makers of the upcoming biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Talking to ANI here, Amey Khopkar, President of Maharashtra Navnirman Chitrapat Karmachari Sena, said, "Prasoon Joshi should resign as Censor board has given preferential treatment to an upcoming biopic on the prime minister, titled 'PM Narendra Modi'."

Kopkar explained, "The makers of the movie have been shooting till March 20 and they get censor board certificate in just fifteen days."

"For a film to get censor board certificate the producer has to submit an online registration and only after fifty-eight days the film can get the certificate," he added.

He further questioned, "Is Censor board giving preferential treatment to some films during the Narendra Modi government?"

"Talking about the biopic he further said that "shooting of the film was done on March 16 at the Dadasaheb Phalke Film City in Goregaon while on March 20 the shooting was done in Varanasi.

The film has come under a cloud with Opposition parties, including Congress claiming that its release was planned with the intention of influencing voters in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.

The seven-phase polls will begin on April 11, the day the film is scheduled to release.

Various political parties also stated that releasing the film in less than a week before the General elections is a violation of the Model Code of Conduct. Several political leaders had requested to delay the release of the biopic.