India committed ‘intl suicide’ by banning gang-rape documentary: Leslee

LONDON (Web Desk) – India committed ‘international suicide’ by banning the documentary on the December 16 Delhi gangrape from screening in the country, the British filmmaker said on Sunday.

Leslee Udwin, the director of 'India's Daughter' also said it was ironical that her purpose of "giving a gift of gratitude" to India has been misinterpreted as "pointing fingers" at the country.

She said, "My whole purpose was to give a gift of gratitude to India, to actually praise India, to single India out as a country that was exemplary in its response to this rape, as a country where one could actually see change beginning.

"The supreme irony is that they are now accusing me of having wanted to point fingers at India, defame India, and it is they who have committed international suicide by banning this film."

Speaking after a screening of the documentary - that has stoked a controversy, with the Indian government banning its telecast last week and asking the video-sharing website YouTube to remove all links to the documentary - Udwin said Prime Minister Narendra Modi would see similar thoughts echoed in the film as his 'Beti Bachao' campaign.

"If (Modi) spent one hour seeing this documentary, he would see his own statements since he got into power reflected in this film.

"The film is saying exactly what he's saying with his 'Beti Bachao' campaign," she said over the weekend.