Author:
Publication: Shankhnaad.net
Date: December 31, 201
URL:   http://shankhnaad.net/index.php/heritage/subversion/item/154-leela-samson-past

Leela Samson, chairperson CBFC shot to limelight after her alleged rabid hatred for Hindus was revealed with the release of movie PK.

The movie 'PK' takes token jibes at Christianity and Islam and otherwise dedicates itself to mocking hinduism by dishing out populist, cliché stereotypes about the Sanatan Culture of the land. While people protest this malefic propaganda against their beliefs, one needs to take a look at the history of the person who passed this movie without cuts despite severe protests by her fellow CBFC members.

1) Leela Samson's story, for all means and purpose, begins with Kalakshetra, a Classical Dance institution founded by Rukmini Arundale - a guru who rescued the Bharat Natyam dance form from the era of colonial evangelism. Rukmini spoke of dance as ”Sadhana which requires total devotion.”

2) Rukmini was a bit reluctant to admit Leela Samson to the institution given Leela's Judeo-Christian background. Little did she know her fears will come true tenfold in years to come.

3) Leela allegedly faked her qualifications to become Director of Kalakshetra in 2005.  Ministry of culture (under UPA govt.) permitted her to continue despite her fraud getting exposed.

4) The first thing she did after her appointment was elimination of the spiritual roots of Bharata Natyam. She ordered removal of all Ganesha and Nataraja statues from the campus (despite heavy student & faculty protest) calling it 'Hindu superstition'.

 5) In the morning assembly, Samson allegedly told the students and teachers that "idol worship" is superstition and should be discouraged at Kalakshetra.
Samson used to ridicule Hindu scriptures and deities, comparing them to walt disney characters.

6) She refused permission and threatened expulsion of students from participating in inaugural dance piece in the Health and Happiness Program Organized by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ‘s The Art of Living in Chennai between Dec 5th to 8th 2006.  Reason cited: It is a “Hindu Event”.

( The Student-Artistes ignored her threat, came and participated in the event, reminding her that Art is bigger than the Artist. She then continued harassing the Faculty who participated and coordinated in the event.)

7)  She changed the logo(which was there since 1936) because it had Lord Natraja Ganesha with Lord Shiva‘s Emblem. Again, citing superstition.

8) A CAG report severely indicted her ways of functioning during her seven year tenure (2005-12). She demolished the temple structure of the Kalakshetra Auditorium with the excuse of modernising it. Then there were fund irregularities in tunes of crores and at least 16 appointments were done defying qualification standards and institution norms. A blatant misuse of her power because she had Sonia's backing. And why not - Leela was a dance teacher for Priyanka Vadra.

9) Despite being over age, she was given a grand extension and made the Censor Board Chief. Her own cinema knowledge was near zero but she used to call most members of the board uneducated and an embarrassment. When legal notice was issued by 2 of the members, she was forced to apologize.

10) Although she'd strongly object to anything remotely funny about Christians or Muslims in cinemas, she'd routinely pass cinemas ridiculing Hindu beliefs in name of freedom of expression. Memories of 'Singham 2' are still fresh among people, can we connect the dots now?