Thiruvananthapuram, Sept. 21 -- Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Monday slammed the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) for refusing screening exemptions to 31 films selected for the 18th International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK), set to take place in Thiruvananthapuram.

In a post on X, he described the move as "an assault on the freedom of expression" and a betrayal of India's legacy of hosting world cinema and appealed directly to Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to intervene and overrule bureaucratic decisions.

"I'm shocked to learn of the denial of permission by @MIB_India for 31 films that had been selected for screening at the prestigious 18th International Documen...