PM Modi Highlights ‘Ban’ on Film Icons Dev Anand, Kishore Kumar to Criticize Congress
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Synopsis
On February 6, PM Narendra Modi criticized the Congress party for its historical suppression of dissent, referencing film icons Dev Anand and Kishore Kumar. He highlighted abuses of power during Congress's rule, emphasizing the party's hypocrisy regarding the Constitution and freedom of expression.
Key Takeaways
- PM Modi's strong critique of Congress.
- Highlighting historical suppression of dissent in Indian cinema.
- Examples of film icons facing government backlash.
- Congress's hypocrisy regarding the Constitution.
- Call for recognition of freedom of expression.
New Delhi, Feb 6 (NationPress) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched a fierce critique of the Congress party, addressing various concerns from undermining the Constitution to hindering the country's progress, alongside condemning several film figures merely for voicing dissent against previous political regimes.
During the discussion about the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address in the Rajya Sabha, PM Modi criticized Congress for its assertions of being champions of the Constitution and its principles, arguing that their behavior, treating the sacred text as a mere prop, allowed them to misuse it without consequence.
He referenced numerous film icons, including Dev Anand and Kishore Kumar, to illustrate how they faced bans or imprisonment for opposing the then-governments.
“Majrooh Sultanpuri, a celebrated poet, was incarcerated because his verses made the former leadership uneasy. Balraj Sahani faced imprisonment simply for participating in a protest march,” PM Modi noted.
“Lata Mangeshkar’s brother, Hradyanath Mangeshkar, was about to present a poem about Veer Savarkar but was rejected by AIR Akashvaani for this,” he added, urging the Opposition to refrain from preaching about freedom of expression.
He also mentioned that the legendary star Dev Anand was pressured to endorse the 'Emergency' declared by the then Congress Prime Minister.
“He flatly refused, resulting in his films being barred from airing on Doordarshan. Similarly, Kishore Kumar had his songs prohibited from Doordarshan after he declined to perform a song supporting the ruling party,” PM Modi stated.
He asserted that those boasting about preserving the Constitution should witness the blatant misuse of power by previous Congress administrations, merely to satisfy their thirst for authority.
“This culture of censorship thrived under Congress rule due to their leaders’ mentality of treating the Constitution as a pocket accessory, flaunting it in public forums,” PM Modi concluded.
