'Attack on theatre showing Da Vinci Code condemned'

Hyderabad, June 24: Disapproving the attack on a theatre screening 'The Da Vinci Code', Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy today assured agitated members of the Christian community that his Government would appeal before a High Court Division Bench against permission to screen the controversial film.

Only to avoid a law and order problem, his Government had banned screening of the film, he told reporters here. (The ban was struck down by a single judge of the AP High Court.) Christian activists stormed Prasad Imax theatre, scheduled to screen 'The Da Vinci Code' yesterday and broke glass panes.

Acting on representations from certain Christian associations, the Special Chief Secretary issued a government order on June one, banning the movie. Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Nagaland and Meghalaya were other states, which had slapped a ban on screening of the film.

UNI