Karunanidhi urges CEO to ensure screening of propaganda film

Chennai, Apr 20 (UNI) Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) President M Karunanidhi today complained to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) that the state police was not allowing screening of the party's election propaganda film and sought his immediate intervention.

In a letter to CEO Naresh Gupta, the DMK leader alleged that the state police were not giving permission to the screening of the party's propaganda film and ''this attitude is a clear case of favouritism towards ruling party.'' ''If this attitude of the state police is not curtailed, we have no other option, but to resort to all forms of agitations, throughout the state,'' Mr Karunanidhi said and requested Mr Gupta to do the needful and sort out the issue at the earliest.

The DMK leader said the party had produced the propaganda film and obtained censor certificate for the same. According to the Tamil Nadu Exhibition of films on Television screen through Video Cassette (Regulation) Act, such films were to be shown after prior permission from the District Superintendent of Police.

However, the State Government had given exemption to certain provisions of the act and had issued an order stating that during election time, it was enough that permission was obtained from the local Inspector of Police.

But the State police were highly partisan and showed scant respect for the act and the Government order, the DMK leader alleged.

DMK Treasurer Arcot N Veerasamy and Organising Secretary T K S Elangovan, who handed over the letter to Joint Chief Electoral Officer, told newspersons that the Joint CEO assured them that necessary orders would be passed.

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