Mamata Banerjee condemns CBFC’s demand to mute words from Amartya Sen documentary

Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday reacted sharply to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) asking filmmaker Suman Ghosh to “mute” four words and phrases, including cow and Gujarat, in his documentary on Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen.

“Every single voice of the opposition is being muzzled. Now, Dr Amartya Sen (sic),” she wrote on her Twitter handle.

Every single voice of the opposition is being muzzled. Now, Dr Amartya Sen... 1/2

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) July 12, 2017

If somebody of his stature cannot express himself freely, what hope does the common citizen have 2/2

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) July 12, 2017

In the documentary, The Argumentative Indian, Sen speaks of social choice theory, development economics, philosophy and the rise of right-wing nationalism across the world, including in India.

Ghoshs documentary has been made over a span of 15 years (2002-2017) and is structured as a conversation between Sen and his student, economist Kaushik Basu.

Earlier, the filmmaker told PTI that the CBFCs regional office here had verbally communicated to him to “mute” four words and phrases — Gujarat, Cow, Hindutva view of India and Hindu India — in his documentary on Sen.