BJP-RSS want to erase Dalit-Bahujan history at every step: Rahul Gandhi on 'Phule' row

Congress leader on Friday, 11 April attacked the BJP-RSS on the row over the soon-to-release film Phule, alleging that they want to erase Dalit-Bahujan history at every step so that the real truth of caste discrimination and injustice does not come to the fore.

The film's director, Ananth Mahadevan, said it has been delayed due to objections raised by the Brahmin community and not because the censor board suggested amendments.

Phule is based on the lives of social reformers Jyotirao Govindrao (Jyotiba) Phule and his wife Savitribai Phule.

In a post in Hindi on X, Rahul Gandhi said, "On one hand, BJP-RSS leaders pay homage to Phule ji in a superficial manner, and on the other hand, they are censoring the film made on his life!"

Mahatma Phule and Savitribai Phule devoted their entire lives to the fight against casteism but the government does not want to let that struggle and its historical facts come on screen, the leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha alleged.

"BJP-RSS wants to erase Dalit-Bahujan history at every step, so that the real truth of caste discrimination and injustice does not come to the fore," Rahul Gandhi said.

The biopic, featuring Scam 1992 star Pratik Gandhi in the central role and Patralekhaa as his onscreen wife Savitribai Jyotiba Phule, was set for release this Friday but will now arrive in theatres on 25 April.

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) issued a 'U' certificate to the makers on 7 April and asked them to make changes like removing terms such as 'Mang', 'Mahar' and 'Peshwai', the visual of 'man carrying a broom' was to be replaced with 'boys throwing cow dung balls at Savitribai', and the line '3,000 saal purani ghulami' to be modified as 'kai saal purani', among a few other things.

"They had suggested some amendments, I wouldn't call them cuts. I want to clarify that there are no cuts as such. We did so. They felt that the film should be watched by the youth and everyone and it's very educative. I don't know why this whole storm of conflict and counter arguments are happening, I think it's a little exaggerated and unnecessary," Mahadevan told PTI.

After the trailer was released online on 10 April, some members of the Brahmin community raised objections stating that they've been portrayed in poor light.

Maharashtra-based organisation Hindu Mahasangh's president Anand Dave expressed his displeasure after watching the trailer. He said it is unfair to only highlight the not-so-good things about the Brahmin community.

Mahadevan said the reason behind the release of Phule being pushed is to clear the controversy surrounding the film.