New Delhi, May 23: The National Commission for Minorities has decided to ask the censor board to ensure that any film that holds a possibility of triggering protests should be viewed by religious leaders first before being screened in theatres.

The commission’s demand comes after the recent controversy over the film Jo Bole So Nihaal. Yesterday, there were blasts in two halls in the capital that were screening the film starring Sunny Deol.

Although authorities have not said that the blasts were directly related to the screening of the film, there has been panic in several states with theatres across the country deciding to stop running the film.

The chief of the National Commission for Minorities, Tarlochan Singh, today said: “We will write both to the censor board chairperson and the minister for information and broadcasting to have a panel of religious leaders to review controversial films which have the potential of hurting the sentiments of the faithful.”

Singh, who was out of the country and returned this morning, believes that in a country like India, where people are extremely religious, it is essential to take such a step.

“Jo Bole So Nihaal would not have faced the kind of problems it is facing now if the censor board had taken the opinion of Sikh religious leaders,” he said.

The title of the film is part of the daily prayers of Sikhs and therefore, could be seen as an insult to them.

The other point that angered Sikhs is the scene that shows Sunny Deol smoking. Although the hero is scolded by his mother for defying the tenets of Sikhism, the censure has done little to ease the sensitivity of the community.

Smoking is not permitted for a practising Sikh.

Singh said Hindi films nowadays regularly come up with these problems.

A few months ago the film Sins, which showed the sexual escapades of a priest, led to protests by the Christian community. The archbishop of Delhi wrote to the minority panel saying the film was an insult to Christians of the country.

Singh hoped the government would take note of his suggestions.

He said all religions had their sects in Mumbai and the government need not spend extra money to fly down people to view controversial movies. Religious leaders could just be permitted to watch them and put in their suggestions to avoid problems after a movie’s release.

Actor-turned-Samajwadi Party MP Raj Babbar lambasted the censor board and its chairperson, Sharmila Tagore, for not being sensitive to the feelings of the community.

“I feel that in the first place the censor board should not have allowed the film to be passed in its present form,” he said.

The film was removed from theatres in Punjab last week following protests by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee.

The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee today condemned last night’s blasts and said they were a part of a move to spread terror and malign the Sikh faith.