Family denounces 'misuse' of content from Ghatak's films for

Family members of auteur Ritwik Ghatak have issued a statement alleging that Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, the youth wing of the BJP, have "misappropriated" content from his films for its promotional video in support of the contentious citizenship law and "discriminatory" NRC.

The saffron party, however, argued that Ghatak's films cannot be the "property" of a single family and just one dialogue had been used in the campaign video to serve a "greater cause".

The statement, undersigned by 24 family members of the mercurial filmmaker who died in 1976, said, "We, the family members of Ritwik Ghatak, strongly condemn the attempt by BJP's youth wing to use contents of his films for supporting a discriminatory act like Citizenship (Amendment) Act."

"Ghatak, a believer in humanism and secular ideals, had always highlighted the plight of refugees and marginalised people who had been displaced due to social and political turbulence," the statement said.

Among the signatories are .