Mumbai: A local court today (Dec 15, 2004) issued summons to veteran CPM (Communist Party of India-Marxist) leader, Harkishen Singh Surjeet in a defamation complaint filed by actor Anupam Kher for alleging that he was an 'RSS man' and had saffronised the Censor Board in his capacity as the Chairman.

The summons were issued by Metropolitan Magistrate C B Havelikarr who asked him to appear before court on January 27.

Hearing Kher's counsel, Majeed Memon, the magistrate observed that, "I am prime facie satisfied that a case is made out against Surjeet."

Kher, who was unceremoniously removed as Central Board of Film Certification Chairman (CBFC) on October 13, had filed a criminal complaint in the court of Magistrate C B Havelikarr.

Kher said he was an artist and did not belong to any party or ideology. Falsely linking him with any political organisation was a blot on his career, he said.

Kher said Surjeet had written an article in CPM Journal "People's Democracy" in which he had alleged that pro-RSS communal elements, appointed by the previous NDA (National Democratic Alliance) regime, were occupying high positions in public institutions.

The actor alleged that the impugned article "desaffronise our institutions-- RSS men in key positions" suggested removal of such persons, including himself (Kher), from important posts.

The accused described him as an RSS man and blamed him for initiating saffronising process in CBFC.