Vivek Agnihotri urges West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee not to ban his film

 Bollywood filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri has made an appeal to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ahead of the release of The Bengal Files. The film is all set to hit the theatres on September 5, however, Agnihotri feels that it will face a ban in West Bengal as several Trinamool Congress workers have protested against the film’s release.

On Tuesday, the director shared a post on social media addressing the Chief Minister. He pointed out the concerns of exhibitors and talked about the political pressure they are facing in screening The Bengal Files in their theaters.

“Theatre owners are telling me that even if it is not banned, they have so much political pressure that they will have to pay a high price to show it. And that’s why they are afraid to show it. The workers of your party are also asking to ban this film. That’s why I request you, to release this film in West Bengal peacefully,” the filmmaker said.

Further addressing Mamata Banerjee, Agnihotri said, “You have taken an oath of the Indian Constitution and to protect the rights of every citizen, the free speech of the people of India. CBFC has passed this film, which is a constitutional body. That’s why it is your constitutional duty to release this film in peace.”

Explaining why the film should release in West Bengal, Agnihotri stated, “India is the country that has been oppressed and enslaved for the longest time. For 1200 years, our culture, religion, identity, literature, art, architecture, were punished and destroyed. And there is a most horrific and painful chapter in it, of Bengal, where there was a Hindu genocide like Direct Action Day and Noakhali.”