Nathuram Godse Play At BHU Cultural Fest Sparks Controversy 

22 Feb, 2018 13:20 IST|Sakshi
A group of students protesting against the staging of play at their annual cultural festival at Banaras Hindu University

Varanasi: The Marathi play Mi Nathuram Godse Boltoy (I am, Nathuram Godse Speaking) has been in the thick of controversy from the day it was first staged.
Even though the controversial play has invited the wrath from all sections of society for various reasons, theatre personalities and directors continue to stage the play. The latest objections seems to be coming in from a group of students at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), who are protesting against the staging of play at their annual cultural festival.

Pradeep Dalvi's controversial play Mi Nathuram Godse Boltoy, was first written in Marathi and thereafter translated into different Indian languages. The

play was staged for the first time in 1989 in Pune, but was immediately banned by the Maharasthra government. Later, the ban was revoked and once again invoked in 1991. The play glorifies the killing of Gandhi and this has been the bone of contention. Despite all the controversy, right wing theatre enthusiasts continued to stage them in different places.

The students of BHU yesterday filed a police complaint against staging of the play on Nathuram Godse as part of the cultural fest being organised at the university this week. The students group alleged that the play was portraying Mahatma Gandhi in bad light and also holds the Father of the Nation responsible for partition of the country. The play, according to the complaint, goes to an extent of appreciating the assassination of Gandhi.

The complaint was lodged by the students after a video clip of the play went viral on social media. The complaint has been accepted by the local police. The police has started an enquiry into the incident. It is said that the complaint has also been forwarded to the BHU administration.

Adding fuel to fire, Srinivas Pandey, a Hindi Professor said, "There is nothing wrong in such portrayals. Everyone must be respected and loved, these are our mahapurush. We must respect them."

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