Nine separatist outfits of the region have imposed a self-styled ban on the screening of Hindi films in all the seven north-eastern states.
In a joint statement issued here on Thursday, the banned outfits have also called for a boycott of Independence Day celebrations across the region besides asking people to observe a 24-hour general strike from midnight of August 14. The "ban" on screening Hindi movies is to come into effect from November 15 this year.
The joint statement sent to newspaper offices through email has been issued by the United Liberation Front of Asom, National Democratic Front of Bodoland, Arunachal Dragon Federation, Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council, Kamatapur Liberation Organisation, Manipur Liberation Front, National Liberation Front of Tripura, National Socialist Council of Nagaland, and Tripura People's Democratic Front.
The joint statement said: "The immediate and dangerous threat to our socio-cultural values is the invasion of hybrid Indian culture through Bollywood Hindi films. These stereotype commercial films, devoid of any socio-cultural values to us, have uprooted our new generation and have hijacked them to the dreamy and filmy world of Bollywood. (sic)"
It added: "The erotic song and dance sequences in Hindi films have produced an imitation culture among our younger generation and have completely disoriented their mind. This has also compelled our local film producers and directors as well to insert Bollywood-style song and dance sequences in their films out of sheer commercial considerations. This is not a healthy trend in our cultural life."
The joint statement of the banned outfits said: "We have now decided to ban screening of Indian Hindi films and production of new local films and video albums imitating Hindi films throughout the region. We, therefore, appeal to all concerned, particularly cinema hall owners, cable TV operators and producers and directors of regional films, to comply with this decision in the larger interest of the region." The statement added that the ban will become effective from November 15, 2003.
The separatist outfits also expressed
concern over the imposition of Hindi as a compulsory subject in schools
and cited the example of Arunachal Pradesh, where they said Hindi had been
imposed to become almost a local language.