Protests against Da Vinci Code movie on the rise in India as 3 more states impose ban

The protest against the release of the controversial movie 'The Da Vinci Code' based on Dan Brown's best–selling novel is gaining momentum across India, with Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Meghalaya preferring to ban the movie rather than invoke the ire of the Christian community.

In Hyderbabad, state capital of Andhra Pradesh, members of the United Front for Dalit Christian Rights, along with Archbishop of Hyderabad Rev. Marampudi Joji and Bishop B.P. Sugandhar, Moderator of the Church of South India (CSI), voiced their protest, following which the government announced the ban of the movie on Thursday.

According to Bishop Sugandhar, there was an apprehension in the community of the danger to the faith of the people, "since the film attacked the very fibre of the faith and had a demoralizing effect."

"We are condemning both the publication of the book and the release of the movie," the Bishop said, adding that there would be "passive demonstrations" to register the community's protest.

Dalit Christian rights activist, G. Alfred, and the United Front's general secretary, Sleeva Galeli, have also registered their protest, while the Youth Wing of the National Congress of Indian Christians president, C.A. Daniel Adams, said that they would continue to conduct mass protests.

On Wednesday night, the Tamil Nadu government decided to ban the screening of the controversial movie, citing that "the screening of the film may lead to demonstrations and disturb peace in the state."

According to the Andhra government, the movie was being banned as its exhibition could cause "breach of peace and hurt religious sentiments and of the Muslim and Christian community."

The ban was a result of representation by various minority and Christian organizations in particular against its release.

"Reports from government agencies indicate some Christian groups may take recourse to agitation if the film is released and that untoward incidents may take place," the Andhra Government order stated.

Likewise, the Tamil Nadu Government said that it was prompted to impose the ban as "[the screening] may hurt the religious feelings and sentiments of the Christian community."

A release from the principal secretary, home department, said, "The screening of the movie may lead to demonstrations and disturb peace and tranquility in the state. Keeping this in view, the Tamil Nadu government has directed…for suspending the screening of the movie."

According to news reports, the movie has also been banned in Meghalaya for similar reasons.

Earlier last week, Punjab and Nagaland had also banned the screening of the movie.

In Mangalore, the Christian community has voiced its protest, calling the screening of the movie, "commercialisation of religion" and "selling the lives of great souls for profiteering."

According to Catholic leader, Fr. Lawrance D'Souza, the movie had disturbed a section of society as certain congregations of the faith had been depicted in a poor light.

That over 290 Christian groups had appealed to the Government against the film pointed to the fact that there had been considerable resentment in the country against it, he said.

Fr. D'Souza said he was personally against sensationalising religious beliefs.

The film, Da Vinci Code, was a product of fiction and the matter should stop there, Fr. D'Souza added.

According to senior scholar of Christianity at the St. Joseph's Seminary at Jeppu, Fr. Santhosh, the book had done great injustice to the authenticity of Christianity as a faith.

There was unnecessary reference to the administration of Vatican and the various congregations, he said.

Fr. Santhosh said there was no doubt that the book and the film were products of fiction, but one could not project something untrue as true even in fiction.

Hence any reference to the happenings in the life of Jesus Christ — whether he married Mary Magdalene or he died in India — could not be established with authority, he said.

"As we know, Jesus Christ lived to proclaim the kingdom of god and there cannot be any other joy to true Christians than that," he added.