Censorship in India mainly targets religious issues. It is justified by the government as necessary to maintain communal harmony, peace and tranquillity, given the history of communal tension in India.

The Constitution of India guarantees freedom of speech but places "reasonable restrictions" "in the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India or public order or morality."^[1] The Constitution of India was passed by the Constituent Assembly of India on November 26, 1949, and came into effect on January 26, 1950. ... Freedom of speech is enshrined in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and is granted formal recognition by the laws of most nations. ...

The report Freedom in the World 2006 by Freedom House gave India a political rights rating of 2, and a civil liberties rating of 3, earning it the designation of free.^[2] This map reflects the findings of Freedom Houses 2006 survey Freedom in the World, concerning the state of world freedom in 2005. ... This map reflects the findings of Freedom Houses 2006 survey Freedom in the World, concerning the state of world freedom in 2005. ...

Obscenity law

Pornography is illegal and attracts several penal provisions. Some media dealing with sex are frequently banned. Films, television shows and music videos are especially prone, however if any literature is banned, it is not usually for pornographic reasons. Pornographic magazines are technically illegal, but many softcore Indian publications are available through many news vendors, who often stock them at the bottom of a stack of non-pornographic magazines, and make them available on request. In practice, the police usually ignores this as long as the display itself does not display nudity. Most non-Indian publications (including Playboy) are usually harder to find, whether softcore or hardcore. Mailing pornographic magazines to India from a country where they are legal is also illegal in India. In practice, the magazines are almost always confiscated by Customs and entered as evidence of law-breaking, which then undergoes detailed scrutiny. Pornographic movies Pornography (from Greek πόρνη (porne) prostitute and γραφή (grafe) writing), more informally referred to as porn or porno, is the representation of the human body or sexual activity with the goal of sexual arousal. ... Film may refer to: photographic film a motion picture in academics, the study of motion pictures as an art form a thin skin or membrane, or any covering or coating, whether transparent or opaque a thin layer of liquid, either on a solid or liquid surface or free-standing Film... A television program is the content of television broadcasting. ... A music video is a short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music, most commonly a song. ... Softcore is a form of pornography that is less explicit than hardcore material in depicting or describing sexual behaviour. ... Playboy is an American adult entertainment magazine, founded in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, which has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc. ... Jenna Jameson with Savanna Samson in a classic hardcore porn movie, The New Devil In Miss Jones (2005) Hardcore pornography is a form of pornography that features explicit sexual acts. ... Customs duty is a tariff or tax on the import or export of goods. ...

Blasphemy law

Media that defames a religion are frequently banned.

National security

The Official Secrets Act 1923 is used for the protection of official information, mainly related to national security.^[3] The Official Secrets Act 1923 is Indias anti-espionage act held over from British colonisation. ... Security measures taken to protect the Houses of Parliament in London, England. ...

Film

The Central Board of Film Certification, the regulatory film body of India, regularly orders directors to remove anything it deems offensive, including sex, nudity, violence or subjects considered politically subversive.^[4] The Central Board of Film Certification or CBFC is the regulatory film body and censor board of India. ...

In 2002, the film War and Peace, depicting scenes of nuclear testing and the 11 September atrocities, created by Anand Patwardhan, was asked to make 21 cuts before it was allowed to have the certificate for release.^[5][6] Patwardhan objected, saying "The cuts that they asked for are so ridiculous that they won't hold up in court" and "But if these cuts do make it, it will be the end of freedom of expression in the Indian media." For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... Preparation for an underground nuclear test at the Nevada Test Site in the 1980s. ... For the 1993 bombing, see World Trade Center bombing. ... Categories: Possible copyright violations ...

In 2002, the Indian filmmaker and former chief of the country's film censor board, Vijay Anand, kicked up a controversy with a proposal to legalise the exhibition of X-rated films in selected cinemas across the country, saying "Porn is shown everywhere in India clandestinely... and the best way to fight this onslaught of blue movies is to show them openly in theatres with legally authorised licences".^[4] He resigned within a year after taking charge of the censor board after facing widespread criticism of his moves.^[7] For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... Vijay Anand (January 22, 1934 - February 23, 2004), also known as Goldie Anand was a Bollywood film producer, director, writer and actor. ... X-rated, X certificate, X classification or similar terms are labels for movies implying strong adult content, typically pornography or violence. ...

In 2004, the documentary Final Solution, which looks at religious rioting between Hindus and Muslims, was banned.^[8][9] The film follows 2002 clashes in the western state of Gujarat, which left more than 1,000 people dead. The censor board justified the ban, saying it was "highly provocative and may trigger off unrest and communal violence". 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... This article is about the Hindu religion; for other meanings of the word, see Hindu (disambiguation). ... A Muslim is a believer in or follower of Islam. ... Gujarāt (GujarātÄ«: , IPA: ,  ) is the most industrialized state in the Republic of India with 19. ...

In 2006, seven states (Nagaland, Punjab, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh) have banned the release or exhibition of the Hollywood movie The Da Vinci Code (and also the book),^[10] although India's Central Board of Film Certification cleared the film for adult viewing throughout India.^[11] 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... India is subdivided into twenty-eight states and seven union territories; the states and territories are themselves further subdivided. ... Nagaland (Hindi: नागालैंड)   Nagaland is a vibrant hill state located in the extreme North Eastern part of India in northeast India. ... Punjab   (Punjabi: , Hindi: , IPA: ) (Also spelled Panjab) is a state in northwest India. ... For other uses, see Goa (disambiguation). ... Tamil Nadu (தமிழ் நாடு, Land of the Tamils) is a state at the southern tip of India. ... Andhra Pradesh  : (Telugu: ఆంధ్ర ప్రదేశ్, Urdu: آندھرا پردیش, IPA: ), is a state in South India. ... ... The Da Vinci Code is a 2006 feature film based on the bestselling 2003 novel The Da Vinci Code, by author Dan Brown. ... This article is about the novel. ... The Central Board of Film Certification or CBFC is the regulatory film body and censor board of India. ...

Although the Tamil Nadu Government banned the movie 'The Da Vinci Code', on 7/7/2006, the Madras High Court vacated the ban, and the movie is set to show in Tamil Nadu.

Dramas

In 1999 Maharashtra government banned the Marathi play 'Me Nathuram Godse Boltoy" or 'I am Nathuram Godse Speaking" [1] Maharashtra   (Marathi: महाराष्ट्र , English: , IPA: ) is Indias third largest state in terms of area and second largest in terms of population after Uttar Pradesh. ... Marathi is one of the widely spoken languages of India, and has a long literary history. ...

Books

Books which are critical of India, Indian foreign policy, Kashmir, or those that contain sex or deflame a religion, are frequently banned in India.^[12] Further, books which are critical of national icons such as Nehru are usually met with a hostile reception and are also banned.^[12] Kashmir (or Cashmere) may refer to: Kashmir region, the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent India, Kashmir conflict, the territorial dispute between India, Pakistan, and the China over the Kashmir region. ... Jawaharlal Nehru (जवाहरलाल नेहरू) (November 14, 1889 - May 27, 1964), also called Pandit (Teacher) Nehru, was the leader of the (moderately) socialist wing of the Indian National Congress during and after Indias struggle for independence from the British...

In 1989, Salman Rushdie's The Satanic Verses was banned in India, as it was in many countries, for its purported attacks on Islam.^[13] India was the first country in the world to ban the book. 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Salman Rushdie (born Ahmed Salman Rushdie, Urdu: ‎, on June 19, 1947, in Bombay, India) is a British-Indian essayist and author of fiction, most of which is set on the Indian subcontinent. ... The Satanic Verses is Salman Rushdies fourth novel, first published in 1988 and inspired in part by the life of Muhammad. ... Islam (Arabic:  ) is a monotheistic religion based upon the Quran, its principal scripture, whose followers, known as Muslims (مسلم), believe God (Arabic: الله ) sent through revelations to Muhammad. ...

The book Understanding Islam through Hadis by Ram Swarup was also banned.^[14] In 1990 the Hindi translation of the book was banned, and in March 1991 the English original became banned as well. Books by Taslima Nasrin were banned in West Bengal.^[15] Understanding Islam through Hadis is a book by Ram Swarup published in 1983. ... Ram Swarup (राम स्‍वरूप) (1920 - December 26, 1998) was an influential ideologue for the Hindutvamovement. ... Taslima Nasrin Taslima Nasrin (Bangla: তসলিমা নাসরিন), also known as Taslima Nasreen, (born 25 August 1962 in Mymensingh, Bangladesh) is a Bengali Bangladeshi physician, writer, feminist human rights activist and secular humanist. ...

A book on the Maharashtrian prince, Shivaji, by Queens University Professor Jayant Lele was also banned.^{[citation needed]} This book asked the question of who was the father of Shivaji. Shortly thereafter, the Central government of the time, which contained the Shiv Sena, banned Shivaji: Hindu King in Islamic India, penned by American scholar James Laine, and another book The Epic of Shivaji, which contained the objectionable phrase "Oedipal rebel", following an attack by Sambhaji Brigade activists on the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute in Pune.The subsequent UPA government has not revoked the ban. Shivaji Bhonsle, also known as Chatrapati Shivaji Raje Bhonsle (Marathi: छत्रपती शिवाजी राजे भोसले) was the founder of the Maratha empire in western India in 1674. ... Shivaji Bhonsle, also known as Chatrapati Shivaji Raje Bhonsle (Marathi: छत्रपती शिवाजी राजे भोसले) was the founder of the Maratha empire in western India in 1674. ... SS election symbol Shiv Sena or शिव सेना (meaning Army of Shiva, referring to Shiva) is a political party in India founded on June 19, 1966 by Bal Thackeray, who is the president of the party. ... The Oedipus complex is a concept developed by Sigmund Freud, who was inspired by Carl Jung (he described the concept and coined the term Complex), to explain the maturation of the infant through identification with the father and desire for the mother. ... Sambhaji Raje Bhonsle (Marathi: धर्मवीर संभाजी राजे) (May 14, 1657 – March 11, 1689) was the eldest son of the Maratha king Shivaji, and succeeded him as the Chhatrapati i. ... The Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, abbreviated BORI, is located in Pune at the junction of Law College Road and Bhandarkar Road. ... Puṇe (IPA: , Marathi: पुणे) is a city located in the western Indian state of Maharashtra. ... The abbreviation UPA has several meanings: United Productions of America, USA-based animation studio Ukrayinska Povstanska Armia (Ukrainian Insurgent Army), a Ukrainian nationalist partisan organization during and after the World War II Uralic Phonetic Alphabet United Progressive Alliance A political coalition ruling India, as of 2005 University Preparatory Academy of...

Internet

In 2004, a Yahoo! Groups discussion group was blocked because of fears the group, the Kynhun forum, had links with banned separatists.^[16][17] The ban resulted in the entire Yahoo! Groups being banned due to the internet service providers' inability to inpliment a sub-group ban, and hence a huge range of harmless material were made inaccessible. The government used new information technology laws to force Indian internet service providers to block the forum after Yahoo! refused to comply. The ban sparked outrage and led to many people calling for the ban to be lifted. Concerns have been voiced that despite the inherent power of ruling bodies, the actions of the Indian government are actually illegal: "But the route they have taken is completely illegal and will be struck down if challenged in court", says Indian cyberlaw expert, Pawan Duggal.^[16] 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Yahoo! Groups is an electronic mailing list service provided by Yahoo!. Yahoo! has over the years bought many other mailing list providers, including the popular eGroups, and combined them into one system. ... An Internet service provider (abbr. ... Yahoo! - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ...

India has blocked Internet access to several blogs and web sites in July 2006 because of the 11 July 2006 Mumbai train bombings.^[18] Map showing the Western line and blast locations. ...

An active community of bloggers came up and protested against censorship on internet. The complete documentation is available at Bloggers against censorship wiki and at Indiacensored.com

References

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Cable News Network, commonly known as CNN, is a major cable television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... July 19 is the 200th day (201st in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 165 days remaining. ...

External links

• Ban this book
• Book banning
• Censorship in India - IFEX