NEW DELHI, Jan 16: As a book offering “dramatised biography” of Congress President Sonia Gandhi hit stands in India, the party today asserted it could take legal action if the contents of the book were “objectionable”.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi rejected suggestions that the “pressure” from previous UPA Government was behind the long delay in the publication of ‘The Red Sari’, saying such a charge was an insult to democracy and independent courts in the country.
Congress had served legal notice on the book’s Spanish author Javier Moro over its “objectionable” contents in 2010 but it was never published in India even though its Spanish version was brought out in 2008.
“They always had a right to publish it. The author has now decided to publish it for whatever reasons. What we can say. If there is nothing objectionable in it then we have no problems but if there is, then we continue to have same legal right to take legal action,” he told reporters.
Singhvi also sought concrete action from the Government over allegations of Leela Samson, who resigned as Censor Board Chairperson citing “coercion” and “interference” in its functioning, saying she was competent and a person of great eminence who has no axe to grind.
“She has made direct and unequivocal allegation against the Government, the ministry (Information and Broadcasting). This is a scathing indictment. The Government must come out with concrete action,” he said.
He declined to comment over controversial movie ‘Messenger of God’ which features and is based on Dera Saccha Sauda sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, saying the party does not speak on individual movies but is against use of violence against freedom of expression. (PTI)
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