Aarakshan faces opposition from Maharashtra ministers

Three Cabinet Ministers from Maharashtra fear that controversial Hindi film Aarakshan would lead to social tension because of its theme. These Ministers have written a letter to Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan expressing their apprehension over the Prakash Jha's direction which will hit the screen coming Friday.

The Ministers Varsha Gaikwad (Women and Child Development), Nitin Raut (Employment Guarantee Scheme) and Naseem Khan (Minorities) mentioned in a letter, "We are not against freedom of expression but if anybody tries to misuse it we are strongly against that." Reservation is a Constitutional right, but the film's theme has tried to go against this principle, they claimed.

The ministers claim that Aarakshan attempts to create a divide between the weak and unprivileged sections of the society and the rest. They viewed that if the movie is release then it may lead to law and order problem. They maintained that quotas have always benefited the deprived and under- privileged sections of the society.

"Since reservations have Constitutional sanction expressing views against it means ignoring
Constitutional provisions. Films like Aarakshan undermine the "pride" of the Dalits and the OBCs, they said, adding if "objectionable" scenes are not deleted, the movie should be banned," they viewed.

Talking to reporters, Raut told, "My objection is to the name Aarakshan itself. The word is Constitutional. I am not indulging in politics over the film, but it if the makers of the movie who are doing it."