An Indian minister Wednesday backed down after fishing in troubled waters on "The Da Vinci Code", saying a decision on the film's screening would be taken by the censor board - which has already approved its release.

The censor board will again view the film Thursday and take a decision on its release, Information And Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi said after viewing the film along with several Christian leaders at a special screening here.

The Central Board of Film Certification had Monday cleared the film with an "Adults Only" rating. Board chief Sharmila Tagore has said she was not opposed to the film's screening but added that the final decision had been left to the information and broadcasting ministry after Dasmunsi came into the picture.

The film was slated to hit screens across the country on Friday, before Dasmunsi halted the release following representations he had received from 200-odd Christian organisations.

Several Christian leaders have demanded the film be banned because it denigrates the religion. However, an influential Christian leader said Wednesday too much was being read into the film.

"We will not ask for a ban but a bold and lingering disclaimer that it is a work of pure fiction and does not correspond to historical facts," the leader told, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Another church leader thought it strange that there were no protests against the film in countries that were 95 percent Christian but a hue and cry was being raised in India, where the Christian population is just about 2.5 percent.

Journalist Jomi Thomas, who has translated the Dan Brown bestseller into Malayalam, agreed.

"A protest is being created by a wrong interpretation of a literary work. While the Vatican says it is fiction and ignores it, some people here take it very seriously.

"It is a non-issue. The Christian faith is not based on whether Christ was married or not. Marriage is a sacrament and the family is the basic building for the church," Thomas pointed out.

Minister Dasmunsi said technically there was no problem with the film, adding that he would not like to comment on its contents. But he also indicated that the Censor Board might want to re-look some parts of the film.

Several Christian organisations and church leaders Wednesday held protests in the national capital and other cities, terming the film as blasphemous.

Archbishop of Bangalore Bernard Morass has termed the movie a vicious attack on the divinity of Jesus Christ.

"Anything that distorts the long cherished truth and affects religious sentiments has to be condemned outright," he maintained.

Activists from the Catholic Secular Forum and several other Christian organisations staged a demonstration at Mumbai's Azad Maidan demanding a ban on the film.

In Agra, the Christian Welfare Society demanded immediate banning of the film.

Parish priests have also called for a ban, warning they would protest if the film was screened in Agra.

In New Delhi, Father Donald Desouza, secretary general of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, demanded the film be banned.

"We have demanded a ban on this movie as it distorts truth, portrays the founder of Christianity in a perverted manner and is blasphemous," he said.

"Another reason for our demand is not many people know much about Christianity in India as we are a minority here," Desouza told.

"The posters of this movie claim it tells the truth. But in reality, it is fiction. We feel that this movie will convey millions of our brethrens a wrong impression about Christianity," Desouza added.

Said John Dayal, president of the All India Catholic Union: "We would like the government to be equally sensitive to the sensibilities of all religions."