In his first comments on the row sparked by cuts sought by Central Board of Film Certification on Udta Punjab, a film that potrays the problem of drug addiction in the state, he said, "I won't say its overboard. I don't know this case because I have not seen this film in question."
Stating that he was "not satisfied" with the existing system of film certification, Jaitley said there are some changes that are about be made.
The Committee, he said, has suggested some changes.
"You will probably have a system where you will have to have a certificate. The correct word is certification and not censorship. Certification norms will have to be liberal," he said speaking at the Indian of the Year Award by CNN TV18 Group.
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The CBFC has contended that Udta Punjab, a drug-themed crime thriller which is due to be released June 17, needs several cuts on the ground that it casts the state in a bad light by giving an impression that most of them are addicts.
On the row, Jaitley said, "I think that we are overstating it because at the end of the day you have a Board which takes a view which may be a little conservative view but then at the appeal tribunal with an appeal it can get disposed off. My experience has been almost everything then gets cleared."
Trying to play down the controversy, he said there are people in the system whose attitude may be little more conservative. "But then there are internal checks and balances."
Udta Punjab literally means 'Flying Punjab', a reference to the inebriating effects of drugs.