'We resigned in support of Leela Samson': Ira Bhaskar to ANI

Former Central Board of Film Certfication (CBFC) member on Saturday said the resignations of all members was in support of Leela Samson, the former chairperson of the statutory board.

"We have resigned in support of Leela Samson, the Chairperson who has resigned because she has faced clear difficulties and she was asked to continue as chairperson until and unless a new chairperson was appointed," Bhaskar told to ANI.

She also said that a joint letter of resignation in which nine people have signed was submitted.

Bhaskar, a professor of cinema studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University also cleared that the reason for resignation was not the movie Messenger of God (MSG) featuring Dera Saccha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

"The reason is not the Messenger of God (MSG). Because all of us who have signed on this have had nothing to do with Messenger of God. We were not involved either in the primary examining committee nor were we involved in the revising committee, we were not involved in that. So, we are not involved in the Messenger of God issue at all," she said.

Bhaskar also said that the Board continued working on extension even after its term was over.

Bhaskar resigned on Friday after Leela Samson stepped down as the board's chairperson. She cited the discrepancies in board as the reason for her deciding to quit.

Leela Samson resigned from the post of Chairperson citing the reasons as alleged "interference, coercion and corruption of panel members and officers of the organization who are appointed by the ministry."

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is a statutory body under Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, regulating the public exhibition of films under the provisions of the Cinematograph Act 1952.