EC restricts release of film starring Gogoi

GUWAHATI: The Election Commission on Thursday stopped the premier of a film starring Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi mid-way on grounds of violation of the model code of conduct. Gogoi plays a chief minister in the movie.
The EC asked the producer of the film not to release the film till the election process is over. The Commission's move was triggered by a complaint from BJP while the film was being premiered at a multiplex here.Pole Pole Ure Mon' is produced and directed by Timothy Das Hanse and has been dubbed in Hindi as well. Both versions were scheduled to be released on Friday.
"We arrived at the multiplex for a premier show. But the Commission issued a direction to stop the screening," said Dinesh Das, a well-known Assamese actor who played the role of the villain in the movie.
On Thursday, state BJP leader Sidhartha Shankar Bhatacharya lodged a complaint with the Chief Election Commissioner alleging chief minister Tarun Gogoi had violated the EC's norms by releasing a film before the election. "Gogoi was shown distributing awards among some groups that showed better results under government-sponsored programmes in the film. We lodged a complaint against the film being screened," said Bhatacharya.
He added Gogoi has been portrayed as a people-friendly chief minister in the movie to gain popularity, which should not be released with the election right upon the state. "It is a violation of the strict rules of the EC; therefore, the Commission restricted the release of the film until the election is over," said Bhatacharya.
The film was to be released on Saturday at some theatres in the state and outside. While the Assamese version was scheduled for release in the state theatres, the dubbed Hindi version was meant for some Hindi speaking states.
EC sources said there was a complaint that the film had a role of the CM and that it had highlighted government schemes. "We do not want the film to go to the public as a document of publicity of government schemes and asked the deputy commissioner to look into the matter. Pending a decision from the DC, the film will not be screened," a source said.
An hour after the EC restricted the release of Pole Pole Ure Mon', some of the actors who acted in the film expressed their disappointment over the Commission's decision. They said there was nothing in the film that was meant to lure voters. "The CM is in the film, but there is nothing special in it to woo voters. I am disappointed with the restriction of its release," said Parinita, an actor of the film.