The Censor Board had not been allowed to meet regularly and had been in a constant face-off with the I & B Ministry, says Ira Bhaskar

Amid the controversy surrounding Central Board of Film Certification chairperson Leela Samson’s resignation over the film Messenger of God, another CBFC member Ira Bhaskar also put in her papers on Friday.

Leela Samson

Trained in Bharatanatyam under Kalakshetra founder Rukmini Devi Arundale

Received the Padma Shri Award in 1990

Chairperson of Kalakshetra in Chennai from 2005 to 2012. A CAG report alleges financial irregularities at Kalakshetra

Appointed CBFC chairperson in March 2011, succeeding Sharmila Tagore

Resigned from Kalakshetra post after PIL filed by a staff over her staying on in the post past 60 2014 Refuses to remove scenes in PK after demands from Hindutva outfits The film Messenger of God comes in the eye of the storm with the Board refusing to clear it for public viewing.

Ms. Bhaskar was quoted in media reports as saying that the Censor Board had not been allowed to meet regularly and had been in a constant face-off with the I & B ministry.

Rathore dismisses charges

However, the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Rajyavardhan Rathore, dismissed charges of any interference on part of the ministry in the functioning of the board and said Ms. Samson was trying to be a martyr wanting “to walk into the sunset like a warrior”.

She put in her papers on Thursday amid reports that the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) had cleared the release of the film MSG – The Messenger of God, featuring Dera Saccha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the lead role.

The filmmakers had scheduled it for release on Friday. Despite reports suggesting FCAT had cleared it, movie listings in newspapers and online bookings did not offer it this morning.

The Board had earlier refused to clear the film for public screening following which it was referred to the appellate tribunal.