Some facts about Leela Samson which will not reach the Mainstream Media:
1. Leela Samson, former chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification, resigned on 16/01/2015, because the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal granted permission to release the film, “MSG – Messenger of God”, which she had previously blocked from release. She termed it a “mockery of CBFC”.
2. Previously during her tenure, in February 2014, the Censor Board had objected to the content in a film called “Ya Rab” which condemned Islamic fundamentalism. The film eventually was passed by the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal. Leela Samson did not feel it necessary to resign then, nor did she feel it was a “mockery”
3. Leela Samson was previously a dance teacher to Priyanka Gandhi
4. Till April 2012 she served as director of the Kalakshetra Foundation. She was forced to resign from the post after a former Kalakshetra teacher filed a writ petition against her for continuing to serve as director, beyond the age limit for Government institutions i.e 60 years.
5. A CAG report from her tenure at Kalakshetra accused the organization of financial irregularities.
6. The CBFC, under her, has blocked the release of Malayalam film Pithavinum Puthranum, “allegedly for hurting the sentiments of the Christian community” since 2012. But for the release of Aamir Khan starrer PK, she had to say this: “Every film may hurt religious sentiments of somebody or the other. We can’t remove scenes unnecessarily because there is something called creative endeavour where people present things in their own way”
7. The Principal Accountant-General (PAG), Tamil Nadu and Puducherry has reported irregular appointments made during her term, “16 appointments made during Leela Samson’s tenure were not as per the rules/norms prescribed for the same and hence irregular”
8. Her anti-hindu stance is clear from the fact that during her tenure at Kalakshetra, she removed a dancing Ganesha from the logo of the institution and ordered removal of all Ganesha Idols in the premises.
9. Just last month, the Censor board cut 4 minutes of a Kannada movie “Shivam”. The director claims portions where he showed “why and what led to the demolition of some of our temples“were chopped.
10. In 2012, the Censor board felt it necessary to show the film “Kamaal Dhamaal Malamaal” to a Catholic review member and chop of objectionable scenes due to protests by The Catholic Secular Forum (CSF), Association of Concerned Catholics (AOCC), Maharashtra Christian Youth Forum (MCYF), Catholic Residents Organization for Social Services (CROSS) & Catholics for Preservation of Faith (CPF)
