New Delhi, June 1: National Award-winning filmmaker Luit Kumar Barman has filed a complaint against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over remarks made about Mahatma Gandhi during a recent interview. The comments, which suggested that Mahatma Gandhi was largely unknown until the release of the film “Gandhi,” have sparked significant outrage in public and political circles.
During an interview with ABP, PM Modi remarked, “Across the world, Mahatma Gandhi was a great person. Was it not our responsibility in these 75 years to ensure that the entire world knows Mahatma Gandhi? I am sorry to say that no one knows about him. The first time when the film ‘Gandhi’ was made, it was then that there was curiosity across the world as to who this person was.”
Barman filed his complaint at Hatigaon police station in Guwahati on May 29, describing the statement as “highly derogatory” and an “insult” to the Father of the Nation. He emphasized that Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy does not require a film for recognition, stating, “As a citizen, we cannot accept an insult to Mahatma Gandhi. No film is required to introduce him to the world.” Barman urged legal action against PM Modi under relevant laws.
The police have acknowledged the receipt of the complaint but have not yet registered a First Information Report (FIR).
PM Modi’s remarks have ignited widespread backlash. Indian Youth Congress workers staged protests, condemning the Prime Minister’s comments. National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah described the remarks as “shocking,” adding that PM Modi “feels shame” in praising Gandhi, despite both hailing from Gujarat.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also criticized PM Modi, alluding to the Prime Minister’s educational background by saying, “Only a student of ‘Entire Political Science’ would need to watch the film to know about Mahatma Gandhi.”
Jairam Ramesh of the Congress party remarked, “I don’t know in which world the outgoing prime minister lives where Mahatma Gandhi was not recognized across the world before 1982. If anyone has destroyed the legacy of the Mahatma, it is the outgoing prime minister himself. His own government has destroyed Gandhian institutions in Varanasi, Delhi, and Ahmedabad.”
The controversy continues to grow as more political figures and the public express their discontent with the Prime Minister’s statements.
