BJP Slams AAP, Says No Government Role In Udta Punjab Censor Row

New Delhi: The BJP has denied any hand in stopping the release of Anurag Kashyap's Udta Punjab through the Censor Board. The party also slammed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's allegations on the Centre and said the Aam Aadmi Party survives by creating such controversies and claimed that Punjab has no drug problem, which the movie is based on.

"I completely reject it (charge) that the government has any role or intervened to stop its release. AAP survives on controversies. It creates controversies for political purpose," Union Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy said at a party briefing.

Asked about the Central Board of Film Certification's decision to withhold the film's release unless certain scenes are cut, he parried the issue saying there must be norms and guidelines as per which it would censor a movie.

Asked whether he believed that Punjab suffered from drug problem, Mr Rudy said, "I don't think there is any problem." He said the Akali Dal-BJP government in the state was doing an "excellent work".

He also accused AAP of having "double-standards" and referred to its stand on screening of 'Buddha in a Traffic Jam' whose maker Vivek Agnihotri is perceived to be close to the BJP.

Mr Rudy said AAP's spokespersons kept "quiet" when screening of the film was interrupted and stopped due to protests by student groups in Jadavpur University.

"(Censor Board chief) Pahlaj Nihlani's statement makes it amply clear that he has stopped the film on BJP's instructions," Mr Kejriwal tweeted earlier in the day.

The Censor Board's objections to the Shahid Kapoor-Kareena Kapoor starrer movie have stirred a political row. Many Bollywood personalities have strongly backed the film and called for the removal of Pahlaj Nihalani.

Elections will be held in Punjab next year and the AAP, which has emerged as a strong player in the state, has made drug abuse a big issue and accused the Akali Dal leadership of promoting the illicit drug trade.