'Baseless!'

Information & Broadcasting Minister Sushma Swaraj refuses to be drawn into a controversy over the National Film Awards 2000 and described the allegations against her as ''baseless''.

"I have clarified that the allegations on saffronisation of awards were baseless," Swaraj told reporters after inaugurating FRAMES 2001, a two-day global convention on entertainment industry in Bombay.

"There is no controversy at all about the awards," she added. The controversy arose when three members of the jury: Pradip Krishen, Shashi Anand and Madhumita Raut, resigned in protest against the "rigging" of awards earlier this week.

Eminent film director Gautam Ghosh has also refused to accept the award for his film, Dekha. Noted actor Soumitra Chatterjee, who won the award for his role in the same film, also followed suit.

UNI

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