Documentary filmmakers here have accused actor Anupam Kher of being India's most repressive censor, saying that the censor board grew more belligerent and snoopy under him.

"Make no mistake, Anupam Kher is no martyr," said Sanjay Kak, documentary filmmaker and member of Films for Freedom, a countrywide free speech collective.

"He presided over a pretty dark period of the censor board," tells Kak.

Filmmakers have also rubbished Kher's claims that he was instrumental for clearing "Final Solutions", the film on the Gujarat riots two years ago.

"This is the man (Kher) who hounded 'Final Solutions'," said Amar Kanwar, a documentary filmmaker and Films for Freedom member.

Kanwar said the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), popularly known as the censor board, made the director of "Final Solutions", Rakesh Sharma, go through a nerve-racking ordeal.

"They (CBFC) made the film go through a bizarre process. Initially, it wasn't even accepted for preview and then, when it was shown abroad, censor board officials called up Rakesh and asked how he got customs clearance to send his film.

"Under Kher, the censor board threatened and harassed filmmakers, especially documentary filmmakers, at every level. Earlier, the censor board would wait for a film to be submitted for clearance but in recent times they actively chase films and filmmakers."

The filmmakers agreed, though, that Kher's removal was arbitrary.

"I am uncomfortable with new governments coming in and changing people at will," said Kak. "All political parties use censorship to their advantage. We have to be cautious about this hire and fire policy. It is counterproductive."

Added Kanwar: "This (the expulsion) has given Kher a chance to paint himself as a great martyr and allowed him to confuse matters.

"This is a man during whose time harassment of filmmakers was extreme. He led a totally repressive regime and today he is publicly claiming that he is a great defender of free speech.

"It allowed him to make an emotive song and dance about the whole thing. It's absolutely preposterous."