‘Aarakshan’ controversy: Cong appeals for restraint

New Delhi: Amid the controversy over the film ‘Aarakshan,’ Congress today urged all sides to exercise restraint.

"I am sure something would be worked out. I would like to appeal to everybody to be restrained about it and not get excited because unnecessary building up passion really does not help the cause either way," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari told reporters outside Parliament. Filmmaker Prakash Jha has moved the Supreme Court to lift the ban on the film in Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab. Tewari said the government and administration have "to tread a very fine balance in order to see that the equilibrium between the freedom of speech one side and the imperative of maintaining law and order on the other are somehow reconciled." Many political leaders have also sought a ban on the release of the film, accusing the filmmakers of bias against a particular community. "In situations like this, there are two views. There is always the argument that the freedom of expression should be unfettered. There will be always an argument on the other side about their apprehension of the breach of law and order. Those apprehensions have to be kept in mind," the spokesperson said. PTI