Bollywood film sparks controversy

Mumbai - A new Bollywood film tackling the thorny issue of caste quotas in Indian government jobs and education is released this week in the face of vocal protests from minorities.

Politicians and interest groups championing the low-caste Hindus and other marginalised groups that the system is designed to help have come out in force against Aarakshan (Reservation), despite it not hitting screens until August 12.

The head of India's National Commission for Scheduled Castes has even said that director Prakash Jha's film was "anti-Dalit and anti-reservation", referring to the community previously known as "untouchables".

Protests

In Mumbai, publicity material was vandalised and more than a dozen activists arrested for protesting outside Jha's office, prompting police to give him and the film's leading actors extra security.

Elsewhere, the government of Uttar Pradesh state banned any promotion of the film on security grounds, protests have been held in Rajasthan and Punjab and a court case has been brought against a decision to pass the film uncut.

Jha, whose films have previously tackled social issues such as corruption and power politics, denies taking a position on the issue.

"'Aarakshan is not anti-reservation and/or anti-Dalit," the 59-year-old told reporters last week.

"In India there are people who benefit from this policy and there are those who have missed an opportunity because of the policy. Reservation and the quota system is a hard-hitting reality.

"It is almost an India versus India situation and by showing this in my movie, I am trying to bridge the gap."

Reservation refers to the policy of guaranteeing jobs for socially disadvantaged groups, officially referred to as "scheduled tribes, scheduled castes and other backward classes".