New Delhi, April 1 (IANS) Actor-politician Hema Malini on Wednesday stated that she has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla raising concerns over what she described as “cultural fascism” in West Bengal, asserting that the situation poses both a “security risk” and has a “negative impact” on livelihoods.

In a post on X, the BJP MP from Mathura said, “I have written a letter to the Honourable Speaker, highlighting a cultural fascism in West Bengal and how it is adversely affecting several people from the cultural world.”

“It is both a security risk and a negative impact on livelihoods,” she added.

When asked about the reason behind writing the letter, Hema Malini refrained from sharing specific details, stating that the move was prompted by a personal experience.

“It was my personal experience. I don’t know why they are behaving like this with the artists. I felt sad,” she said while speaking to reporters at the Parliament premises, without elaborating further.

The term ‘cultural fascism’ is generally understood as the systematic control, censorship, and shaping of a nation’s culture, arts, media, and education in line with a particular ideological framework.

Last year, allegations were made by filmmakers associated with ‘The Bengal Files’, who claimed that the film faced an unofficial ban in West Bengal ahead of its scheduled release.

Producer Pallavi Joshi had alleged that theatre owners were pressured, resulting in the cancellation of the film’s trailer launch. While the state government denied any role, attributing the issue to a lack of screen space, the producers maintained that the film was being suppressed due to its sensitive subject matter.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty also criticised the West Bengal government, alleging that it prevented the release of ‘The Bengal Files’ while labelling another film, ‘Dhurandhar’, as “propaganda”.

Speaking to IANS, Mithun Chakraborty said, “You did not allow ‘The Bengal Files’ to be released here. What bigger issue will you talk about than this? Yet, you are calling ‘Dhurandhar’ propaganda. Then why didn’t you stop ‘Dhurandhar’ as well? It was released, and now you are calling it propaganda. But you didn’t even watch a single reel of Bengal Files. From the very beginning, you opposed it and did not allow the film to be released in Bengal. What could be more unfortunate than this?”

“The film is not even based on current events, but on the times before Independence; even then, you did not allow it to be released. Now call it bullying or whatever. However, now ‘Dhurandhar’ has done great,” he added.

–IANS

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