The Hindu : Karnataka News : Da Vinci Code: NGO expresses concern

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Sunday, Dec 23, 2007
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Karnataka

Da Vinci Code: NGO expresses concern

Special Correspondent

Alleges interference with freedom of speech
Even the church did not ask for a ban

PANAJI: The Citizens’ Initiatives for Communal Harmony (CICH), a Goa-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) has expressed concern over the recent decision of the Goa government to request the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry to direct the HBO channel not to screen the movie ‘The Da Vinci Code.’

Another attempt

The CICH opined that this represents yet another attempt by the State government to interfere with the freedom of speech.

It has recalled that earlier this year the State administration, ahead of the State assembly polls, had stopped a talk by Proffesor Ram Puniyani on “Communal Threats to Secular Democracy in India.”

Ms. Albertina Almeida and Mr. Ramesh Gauns, convenors of the CICH, have pointed out that even the Church, while pointing out that in its opinion the contents of this film were against Christian teaching, had not asked for a ban.

Not conducive to development

“Stifling freedom of expression in this manner is not conducive to the development of a secular, democratic society, besides being an attempt to distract from the people’s issues that the government is presently faced with,” said Mr. Gauns here on Saturday.

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