BJP criticises Amarinder on banning da Vinci code

Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) has taken strong note of banning of the
film Da Vinci Code in Punjab. The party sees mere electoral politics
than the save guard of Roman Catholic's interests in the state. In the
statement issued here, Bhartiya Janta Party's National Secretary Sr.
Harjit Singh Grewal & BJP youth wing's National Executive Member
Vineet Joshi strongly criticized the move of the CM Amarinder Singh,
and termed it as another tool of his to play with the politics of
caste & religion and dividing the people, rather than upholding the
secular credentials of the Constitution, on the face of he is working
on the policy of minority appeasement.

They further termed the `suo moto' decision of the CM as a pollster
Gimmick, as they said that there was no public demand of the Catholic
groups in the state to ban the film, and called this act as an
extension of appeasement policy of Christian community followed by
Capt Amarinder Singh since, later has taken over as the CM. Duo
further asked CM to come out with the records of Cinema halls, where
the film was scheduled to be screened in Punjab. It may be mentioned
that the film was not scheduled to screen anywhere in the state, the
decision is merely political eye wash.

In the present case of Da Vinci Code, they said that the Union
Government, that too of Capt's own Congress party had cleared the film
after the special screening attended by senior party leader and union
I&B minister Priyaranjan Dasmunshi. ``Is Capt above his own party high
command, or is he more sane than congress led union government,''
asked Vineet. Moreover, he said, the biggies of the Roman Catholics
had agreed to allow screening with the 15-second disclaimer in the
beginning of the film and with the said conditions the union
government and Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) cleared the
film. ``What is he (CM) trying to say, is he sanest of all, or they
are fools,'' asked Vineet.

They further quoted the statements of Donald De Souza, Dy Sect General
of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) who was at the
screening with the minister that they don't have any apprehension if
the disclaimer is placed. De Souza also had said that he never asked
for any ban on the film, Vineet claimed. Other than this, Alex
Vadakumthala of CBCI had come on record expressing his appreciation on
the union government's decision, Vineet added. Vineet added, now what
is CM up to, he is above these religious leaders, his own party men or
Union Government. He is unnecessarily using the religious sentiment to
cook his political bread, he said.

Vineet fears that the CM is dragging Punjab again to the Dark Age. The
state has already seen the days of black era initiated by Congress's
caste and religion based politics and latter on followed by decade of
gun shots. ``For god sake, Amarinder should excuse Punjab from
cleaning his dirty political Lenin.'': Vineet said.