West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday threatened to sue for defamation anyone who alleges that a film depicting the journey of a female political leader is linked to her party.
Stating that the ‘biopic’ is not related to her party, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief said that she is “not Narendra Modi”.
“What is all this nonsense being spread! I have nothing at all to do with any biopic. If some young people have collected stories & expressed themselves, that’s up to them. Not related to us. I am not Narendra Modi,” Banerjee tweeted.
“Please do not compel me to file for defamation by spreading lies,” she said.
What is all this nonsense being spread! I have nothing at all to do with any biopic. If some young people have collected stories & expressed themselves, that’s up to them.Not related to us. I am not Narendra Modi.
Please do not compel me to file for defamation by spreading lies— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) April 24, 2019
The Bengal CM’s tweet came a day after the Election Commission of India (ECI) ordered that the trailer of ‘Baghini: Bengal Tigress’ is taken down from three different websites.
Deputy Election Commissioner Sudeep Jain told reporters on Tuesday that the Commission has “initiated steps” to ensure that the trailer is not available online.
The film, which was scheduled for release on 3 May, has not yet got certification from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had on 17 April wrote to the ECI complaining about the alleged biopic and requesting the poll body to review it before release.
“This is to draw your attention to the news in the media that a biopic allegedly of Mamata Banerjee will be released on 3 May 2019, named ‘Baghini’,” the letter addressed to Chief Election Officer (CEO) of West Bengal read.
“BJP requests the ECI and its representatives in West Bengal the CEO to review the said biopic before release, on similar lines that was done by the EC in the case of another biopic depicting Shri Narendra Modi,” the party said in the letter, referring to the biopic called ‘PM Narendra Modi’ featuring Vivek Oberoi in the lead role.
The letter was signed by BJP vice-president in West Bengal Joy Prakash Majumdar.
Directed by Nehal Dutta, ‘Baghini – The Tigress’ is a film about the journey of an activist who rises to the top of the state’s political office. The main character, named Indira Banerjee, is played by theatre actress Ruma Chakraborty.
Dutta however maintains that the film is not a biopic of Banerjee.