Ban on 'MSG' not permanent, decision could be reviewed: Badal

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said the state government's decision to ban the screening of controversial film 'Messenger of God' was taken in the "larger public interest" and could be reviewed once the law and order situation normalises.

"The ban is not permanent in nature, rather it could be reviewed as the situation gradually normalises. We are not against any particular sect, but at the same time we were equally duty bound to maintain the law and order across the state," Badal said here.

'MSG' features Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda sect head Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh.

Badal had yesterday said that the screening of the movie has been banned on the advisory of the Government of India (GoI), claiming that reports of intelligence agencies of both the state and central governments had clearly stated that the release of this movie could have led to serious repercussions in terms of law and order problem in the state.

On the issue of sacking of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib head Balwant Singh Nandgarh, the Chief Minister outrightly said that he was not even remotely connected with this issue as the appointment and removal of any Jathedar of Takht was exclusively within the domain of Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).

On the transfer of Jalandhar Enforcement Directorate officer Niranjan Singh, Badal asserted that he was not involved in the transfer in anyway and it was a matter of routine transfers purely on administrative grounds.