Manish Tewari's veiled attack on Narendra Modi

PANAJI: In a velied attack on BJP leader Narendra Modi, I & B minister Manish Tewari warned creative communities that dark forces of "reaction and national subversion" are waiting in the wings and that freedoms available now should not be taken for granted.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the 44th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) here, Tewari said eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.

"What we have celebrated over the past ten days is the freedom of the human spirit," Tewari told artistes and others who gathered on the occasion.

"However, the freedoms that we have celebrated should not be taken for granted. Dark forces of reaction and national subversion are waiting in the wings and therefore for the creative community I would like to reiterate that the price of liberty is eternal vigilance," he added.

Tewari was apparently attacking BJP leader Narendra Modi, whom he had compared to Hitler in the past.

Tewari said that as the 44th IFFI ends, "we stand on the threshold of new frontier of Indian and global cinema.

He said what had been celebrated over the last 10 days was "the freedom of the human spirit, liberated from the mores of conventionalism and the power of the new idea".

"What we have assailed is an attempt to strangle our liberal spaces, impose thought control and medieval paradigms mindsets which belong to another realm," he added.

He said his ministry had taken several measures to support film-making in India.

Tewari said a single window mechanism for foreign film- makers to shoot in India would now also extend to Indian film-makers so that the number of clarances they have to take can be brought down.

He said the ministry was working to overhaul the archaic Cinematography Act, increase the number of cinema screens in the country and attempt to deal with fiscal-taxation issues bedevilling the industry.