The censor board has denied to issue a certificate of release to a 22-minute documentary film, Aakrosh [Outburst], which is based on interviews with survivors of the Gujarat riots.

The producer of the film, Ramesh Pimple, said: "We shot extensively across the state while the riots were going on. We had footage that showed burnt homes, bodies, destroyed property but finally decided to zero in on tales of survivors from the lower strata of society.

"We thought this way the common man could connect with what happened to these people."

The documentary revolves around the voices of these people without disclosing their identities.

According to Pimple, the censors "said this movie could incite religious tensions between the Hindu and Muslim communities, and therefore cannot be given a certificate".

"They did not ask for any cuts or omissions. I think the Gujarat government or the central government does not want to encourage any activity that will remind people of what happened in the state during the riots," he said.

However, a senior official of the censor board, V K Singla, said: "There are certain guidelines a board adheres to when issuing a certificate to a documentary.

"The board looks at the facts presented and the message the film is trying to convey. We also look at the overall impact the film will have on society and if the impact is negative, then the movie is not allowed to be screened."

Teesta Setalvad, co-editor of Combat Communalism, said the censor board was following a policy adopted by the Centre to suppress it that portray them in a bad light.

"This is not the first movie that has not been issued a certificate. Several other films that show the government in an embarrassing position are either asked to be edited or not given a certificate," Setalvad said.

The filmmakers have appealed to the review committee of the censor board and hope for a positive decision by the end of this month.