The censor board has refused to clear a feature film based on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s development agenda. One of the grounds cited is the ongoing assembly elections in five states. The producer of the medium-budget film, “Modi ka Gaon”, Suresh Jha, who has co-directed it with Tushar A. Goel, is crying foul and charged the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) with discriminating against a movie due for release on Friday. “Censor board officials informed us they found the film objectionable on three main counts. There is no way I can release it tomorrow (Friday). So I am considering moving the court,” Jha said. “They have stipulated conditions which are so difficult to comply with that I might as well forget about releasing the film.

“The golden solution: ‘Get a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and Election Commission... I think this must be the first time the PMO or EC are expected to preview a film and clear it before the CBFC certifies it,” Jha said.